"More Amazing Grace" #3

There is just something about the word "grace" that makes my spirit happy, makes me smile. I learned a long time ago to feel the power of the words John Newton wrote as he looked back on his life of ignorance of all that God is. His powerful hymn is the story of all of us.
Paul too! Take a moment to ponder Paul's testimony about God's Amazing Grace:

"I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know - God knows. And I know that this man ..... was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:2-9 NIV

Here was a faithful brother who like John the Baptist and so many others, wore himself completely out in the service of God, but who did so with gratitude and humility because he understood who he was. Paul was martyred in Rome during Nero's long persecution of Christians, but as he told Timothy, "the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge will award to me on that day - and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

So if God is such a loving, gracious Father, why would he allow Paul to struggle with this "messenger of Satan" and eventually die a horrible death at the hands of a Roman tyrant? Many good people have had that same struggle with a similar outcome. Why is that? Why does God give us the same message he did to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you" when what we really need is his immediate intervention in a dire situation?
I cannot, so I will not even try to answer for anything God does or does not do. His grace is always more than enough to get us through our trials and difficulties. It wont answer all of our questions but if we can adopt Paul's trusting faith in the worst of circumstances, God's constant favor will take us to a better place. God does what he chooses because he IS God and I am not. His grace is sufficient. If we can't take it on pure faith in our Father's grace, our faith is self-centered rather than Christ centered.
The beautiful hymn "Amazing Grace" has been performed and recorded by thousands of artists over the years. If you have never seen it performed by the classical group IL DEVO, I want to urge you to go to YouTube, type IL DEVO in the search box and look for the first listing of their Amazing Grace. You will be surprised by their beautiful and truly soul stirring performance at an outdoor amphitheater in Croatia. Every time I see it, I just have to say HALLELUJAH!