Devotionals

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FAITH

Bobby Cohoon



The day started just as any other. And, as the afternoon progressed it was
no different than the normal rut I stay in; coaching the softball team then
taking my niece to her play practice. I had spoken with my mother around 20 of
seven, so when her phone call of 7:20 came I was totally shocked, scared, upset,
worried; I basically ran the gamut of emotions. My mother had gone totally blind
in a matter of a few minutes (she has been blind in one eye for a few years;
this infirmity attacked her “good” eye). Her world, our world, the world, had
been turned upside down. Her independence was gone. Having always been a woman
of faith, she immediately sent up prayers. She had to now put her trust in many
unseen things. She had to put her trust in me and others to lead her from room
to room. She had to put her trust in a doctor she had never met, and even now,
having met him, has never seen. She had to have trust that someone would fix her
food, draw her insulin, check her blood sugar
and help her with everything that just a few minutes earlier she could do for
herself. All she could do was nothing; she was helpless. All she had was faith;
faith in God to give her strength to get through this trial.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his second surviving epistle to the church in
Corinth about thorn in his flesh. We don’t know what this thorn was, but we know
Paul prayed for its removal: Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three
times that it might depart from me (2 Corinthians 12:8). Many speculate that
Paul’s thorn, like my mother’s, was failing eyesight. Paul wrote to the
Galatians, “See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand”
(Galatians 6:11). This was a reference to his large writing due to poor and
failing eyesight. Yet, he never lost faith but continued to work for the glory
of God. It could have been easy for Paul to loose faith and curse God, or to
even retire from the evangelistic scene, yet Paul choose a higher path, one of
prayer and faith.
When Job was stricken with boils his wife told him to curse God (Job 2:9).
Job, like Paul, took a higher road and remained faith to God saying, “Shall we
indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity” (Job 2:10).
Through all his trials Job’s faith remained strong. He never gave up on God.
We all will face trials with our health and it would be easy for us to
question God at those times. But, James offered us better advice when we face
trials: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing
that the testing of your faith produces patience (James 1:2-3). Paul wrote that
God “comforts us in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 1:4). God’s comfort
builds our faith. The prophet Habakkuk wrote that “the just shall live by his
faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
Many people say when we are faced with health trials that we have to
have faith in the doctor. Yet, faith is reserved only for God; we can trust the
physician but our faith is to be in God. It was recorded in the book of Sirach
that we should “giue place to the phisitian, for the Lord hath created him: let
him not go from thee, for thou hast need of him” (Sirach 38:12 KJV AV1611).
Sirach went on to record that we are to “Honour a Phisitian with the honour due
vnto him, for the vses which you may haue of him: for the Lord hath created him”
(Sirach 38:1KJV AV1611). Our faith is not in the doctor, but in God and God’s
use of the doctor. Our faith is not in the medicine but in God’s use of the
medicine for “The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is
wise will not abhorre them” (Sirach 38:4 KJV AV 1611).
The book of Sirach offers us a glimpse of hope; My sonne, in thy
sickenesse be not negligent: but pray vnto the Lord (Sirach 38:9 KJV AV 1611).
In regards to Paul’s thorn, he prayed to God three times asking for its removal
(2 Corinthians 12). Never was it recorded that Paul had faith in anything else
but God in this matter. Job only went to God. Though my mother put her trust in
doctor(s), a profession created by God, her faith was only in the one true God.
In each of these three cases the participants remained loyal to God and their
faith strengthened.
There is no record that Paul’s failing eyesight was ever restored nor any
record of his thorn being removed, yet throughout the remaining writings of the
apostle it is evident that his faith through all of his trials became stronger
and never wavered. As of this writing my mother’s eyesight has returned
somewhat; though not nearly as fine as before. But, it is much better than the
week(s) spent in darkness. Yet, through her weeks of total blindness her faith
remained strong. Her prayers were to God, never questioning why she went blind,
but having faith that he would see her through the ordeal. Of course her prayers
were for total restoration of sight, but she had faith that whatever his will
was he would give her strength to get through it; her faith was/is on God’s
will. Jesus prayed in the garden “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42).
When Paul had prayed three times for the removal of his “thorn,” God spoke
to Paul. God told Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). To this Paul responded saying,
“Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Through our infirmities, our
weaknesses and trials, the power of God is made perfect when we allow our faith
to remain strong in God’s grace. We have faith that God will use what is at His
disposal, be it doctors or medicine or whatever, to take away our dire
circumstances. Yet, we rest on the assuring words God gave to the apostle Paul,
“My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). And, that grace only
comes through faith; “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians
2:8).

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