closes the vision with a peremptory word of command, “depart.  I will send thee far hence (from Jerusalem, where you long to be), to the Gentiles.”  That is a picture of this man.  It reveals the weak side in this giant of strength and of love.  And this is the man God has to use in His plan.  He is without doubt the best man available.  And in his splendour he stands head and shoulders above his generation and many generations.  Yet (with much reverence) God has a hard time getting Paul to work always along the line of His plans.

That is the man.  Now for the thorn.  Something came into Paul’s life that was a constant irritation.  He calls it a thorn.  What a graphic word!  A sharp point prodding into his flesh, ever prodding, sticking, sticking in; asleep, awake, stitching tent canvas, preaching, writing, that thing ever cutting its point into his sensitive flesh.  Ugh!  It did not disturb him so much at first, because there was God to go to.  He went to God and said, “Please take this away.”  But it stayed and stuck.  A second time the prayer; a bit more urgent; the thing sticks so.  The time test is the hardest test of all.  Still no change.  Then praying the third time with what earnestness one can well imagine.

Now note three things:  First, There was an answer.  God answered the man.  Though He did not grant the petition, He answered the man.  He did not ignore him nor his request.  Then God told Paul frankly that it was not best to take the thorn away.  It was in the lonely vigil of a sleepless night, likely as not, that the wondrous Jesus-Spirit drew near to Paul.  Inaudibly to outer ear but very plainly to his inner ear, He spoke in tones modulated into tender softness as of dearest friend talking with dear friend.  “Paul,” the voice said, “I know about that thorn—­and how it hurts—­it hurts Me, too.  For your sake, I would quickly, so quickly remove it.  But—­Paul”—­and the voice becomes still softer—­“it is a bit better for others’ sake that it remain:  the plan in My heart through you for thousands, yes, unnumbered thousands, Paul, can so best be worked out.”  That was the first part of what He said.  And Paul lies thinking with a deep tinge of awe over his spirit.  Then after a bit in yet quieter voice He went on to say, “I will be so close to your side; you shall have such revelations of My glory that the pain will be clear overlapped, Paul; the glory shall outstrip the eating thorn point.”

I can see old Paul one night in his own hired house in Rome.  It is late, after a busy day; the auditors have all gone.  He is sitting on an old bench, slowing down before seeking sleep.  One arm is around Luke, dear faithful Doctor Luke, and the other around young Timothy, not quite so young now.  And with eyes that glisten, and utterance tremulous with emotion he is just saying:—­“And dear old friends, do you know, I would not have missed this thorn, for the wondrous glory”—­and his heart gets into his voice, there is a touch of the hoarseness of deep emotion, and a quavering of tone, so he waits a moment—­“the wondrous glory-presence of Jesus that came with it.”