2nd Corinthians 4:7
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
We have a treasure in a jar of clay. And that treasure shows the all-surpassing power of God. The power that is so strong, powerful and un-containable that there is no mistake to all who see it, they will know that it is a power from God alone. It is this power at work inside us that, although we are being pressed from every angle, we are not crushed. Although we do not see what God is doing, we are not in despair. Although we feel the odds are stacked against us, we know we are not abandoned. Although the blows of this life throw us down we are not destroyed. But what is that treasure? What could possibly give me that kind of power? And do I truly understand the implications of what this verse is saying? If we back up a few verses we will see that this verse is speaking of the Gospel of Christ. Verse 6 tells us "For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake." As we walk our Christian life, we will have hardships. If we are speaking the Gospel, then we will have persecution. But we have this knowledge that our life is not about us, our success in life is not dependent on our stature in society. A successful life is not one marked with worldly treasures, it's doesn't often shimmer with gold and diamonds. No, we as Christ followers know that our reward is not here on this earth and it's not here in this life. Over and over again in scripture God speaks about how hard it is for those who have much to follow Christ.
Mark 10:23-31
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We've given up everything to follow you,” he said.
29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.
Now if your like me, when you read these verses you struggle with them. Maybe you skip over them, "Lord!" you may say, "I want to follow you, but I am afraid to live like that! How will I feed my family, how will I pay my bills? Don't those things matter too? How can I live like that? Give up my family? My children Lord?" Ah, but that is the beauty of the jars of clay. Jars of clay are common, they are plain and no one sees great value in them. But God says, I have greatness for you! Look at what Paul says after he calls you a plain jar.
2 Corinthians 4:13-18
But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
We can take comfort and find strength in the fact that we know that there is a higher purpose. Greater then that, is this: We display the Glory of God when we suffer. The world sees our lowly state, and they see that we've suffered greatly and yet we have this all-surpassing power! A power that is so deep and strong, that you cannot see it without seeing the the Greatness of God! What can I say when I see the suffering that is going on all around me? When I hug the friend who is losing her mother, child or spouse? I can hold them in my arms and suffer with them, and I can stand back and watch as the power of Christ is displayed in them! And as I go through my own suffering, I am reminded that my reward is not here on earth. I would never want my glory to shine in place of God, for He alone should be glorified. The cry of my heart, and the purpose of my life as a Christ follower, is to see Christ be made much of. I know that it will mean that I will suffer great loss in this life, I will rest in the knowledge that my God will never leave me, and that God has promised that I will not be destroyed, though physically my body may be destroyed, my life and it's worth is eternal. For my glory will be found in the Glory of God that will live on forever.
Are you suffering? Is God challenging you to give up something in order to follow and live out the calling God has in your life? God has asked us all to do one thing, to go and make disciples. If you are being challenged in your heart right now, I would like to encourage you. Our God is faithful. He will never ask you to suffer alone. Press into God right now and allow Him to change you and rest in His power. You are not alone.
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