ANOTHER PASSAGE: “I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:1–2). Paul here hesitated to talk of his visions and revelations. He knew that there was nothing to be gained by it. He knew it was a false emphasis. He knew that Jesus never went off into any visions or dreams, that there was nothing psychopathic about Him, that He got His guidance when in control of all His faculties. He was infinite sanity as well as infinite sanctity. So Paul hesitatingly departed from the emphasis of Jesus and began to go off into signs and wonders. He felt he had been driven to it by his detractors. A dangerous thing to do—to let someone else determine your conduct—he did this, I must do that! He should have worked out from his own principles regardless of what the other person said or did.
He knew he was off-center when talking about his visions and revelations. But God in the midst of it gave a correction: “And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated” (2 Cor. 12:7).
Just what was this thorn in the flesh? Those who take an absolutist position about physical healing, believing that all diseases should be cured in this life or else there is sin or lack of faith, are driven to queer interpretations to explain away the thorn as a physical infirmity: (1) this thorn was Paul’s struggle with sex, or (2) Paul really didn’t want to be healed; subconsciously he wanted to suffer, so he wouldn’t accept the healing. The first has no scriptural basis, and the second leaves Paul a queer person—consciously asking for healing, subconsciously rejecting it.
O Lord Jesus, clear our vision lest visions and revelations cloud our sight. In Thee we see the Father’s revelation of Himself, and in Thee we see the vision of what we can be. Keep our eyes fixed on Thee and Thee alone. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I ask for no vision save the vision of the crucified.
