TREASURE IN JARS. 2 Corinthians 4.7

When I was a little girl, I loved the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland; for me, it had it all. A little bit of thrill, a lot of action, boat ride, and hey, it ended
with beautiful jewelry and treasure spread out on the sand—everything
that would bring a sparkle to a little girl’s eyes. That
glittering treasure was nothing compared to what you and I have within
our grasps!

Paul wrote, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is
from God and not from us.” 2 Cor. 4.7

What treasure? The light of God within us. From the previous verse, “For God, who said, “Let light
shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Do you see
the contrast? The imperishable presence
of God, living within a vessel that depreciates a little more
each day. As the vessel of life, the human body is to be used to benefit
others—poured out in service. Here’s the thing, while the outward
diminishes, we are
meant to use the two properties of

1) God within and

2) the bodies we were given for a great purpose.

Hence, another reason that discouragement must be battled and defeated! When Paul noted in verse 1 that because God had given him the ministry of
preaching the gospel, he must not lose heart—he knew
that discouragement would defeat him; he
knew that discouragement would deter him from what God had chosen him
to do; he knew that distraction would keep him from his God-given
destiny and purpose.

Are you living on purpose? And for that matter, do you know your purpose?

You and I were made to worship God, oh not just with hands lifted and a song on our lips, but from the movements of our daily lives—all orchestrated in a dance that honors him. “It is
in him we live and move and have our being,” Paul wrote.1 It
flows from our awareness of God, and a desire to honor him, and abide in
his presence as well. The very thought that made a humble
dishwasher living in France in 1644 part of our conversation today—Brother Lawrence who practiced God’s
presence with his hands in dishwater.2 From
my favorite chapter of the Bible, John 15, comes the invitation from
Jesus to abide in him, the secret power of Brother Lawrence. Meditate
on that for a moment—that you can abide in the powerful, comforting
presence and person of Jesus Christ--because in abiding in him is
sweetness; in abiding, is our completeness. Think on that
for a moment. . .

Paul was right – we have a great treasure in these earthen vessels. God wants you and me to focus our lives on him and allow him to mold us and make us into men
and women he has called us to be.

Paul has a word for each of us in the midst of life, and for those especially who are feeling discouraged by the pain of life. I have
several friends who are hurting from broken marriages, worry over
teenaged children, and financial pressure . . . they are trying to hang
on . . . LISTEN to Paul’s words to your heart: "We are
hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not
abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."3 How Paul? How Paul,
are we not destroyed?? We are not consumed by life’s
trials because God has promised his strength to us. “My
grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”4

We hold onto Jesus to deal with the adversities of life, and as a result, we not only have the strength to cope, but we gain that which is eternal and cannot be taken away. We
choose to abide in him, and his strength. We live from the
treasure inside our jars
of clay.

Christine

p.s. Now I am a big girl, and I still love the Pirates of the Caribbean!

1 1 Acts 17.28

2 2 Practicing the Presence of God Brother Lawrence

3 3 2 Corinthians 4.8

4 4 2 Corinthians 12.8