Jars of Clay

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay

to show that this all-surpassing power is from God

and not from us.

We are hard pressed on every side,

but not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair;

persecuted, but not abandoned;

struck down, but not destroyed.

. . .Therefore we do not lose heart.

Though outwardly we are wasting away,

yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles 

are achieving for us an eternal glory

that far outweighs them all.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,

but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary,

but what is unseen is eternal."

2 Corinthians 4:7-9, 16-18

The fire-proof lock-box containing all our important papers and other valuables sits in our bedroom closet.  It is heavy, making it difficult to move.  When I want to access it, I must use a special key kept securely in a secret place.  This box is designed with the intent of keeping those special items safe from fire, theft or water damage.  My husband and I have agreed that if there was some kind of natural disaster or catastrophic event, that box would be one of the things we would take with us.

While I have a certain way of protecting valuables, God has a different method.  His approach lies contrary to mine.  Instead of placing His precious Light in a container of great integrity worthy of it's importance, He entrusts His power to our frail and fragile bodies.  

It's from God

"Please take this away. . .the pain is too great. . . I can't handle the torment. . .please, Lord, take it away so I can serve you freely."  God, however, did not remove this thorn in Paul's side.  Instead, He left the unknown infirmity there to keep Paul humble and reliant on Him for the strength needed to get through each task. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

As a result of this difficulty placed in Paul's life, he grew to appreciate the weaknesses, hardships, persecution and insults, for that is when God's power is best displayed.

There are circumstances in my life against which which I am fighting,  wanting instead to be free from them.  God wants me to know that the freedom will come not through removal of the difficulty, but in trusting Him through the trouble.

The only way God will get the glory in my life is if He places His amazing power in this weak, broken vessel that is me.

Inward Renewal

Every day my body falls apart a little bit more.  Not only is my appearance showing my age with the progression of wrinkles and gray hair, but my joints feel the effects of arthritis, my flexibility is diminishing while stiffness increases and my strength is not what it has been in the past.  Some days, I just feel my age more than others.

Thankfully, even though my body is falling apart, God renews my spirit each and every day.  For this reason I can keep going despite the heartaches and physical pain.

Whatever outward challenges I face today, I can take encouragement from knowing my inner self is always in the process of being renewed and remolded into the image of Christ.  (Colossians 3:10)

The only way I can keep going through the sorrow and anguish of this fallen world is through the constant inward renewal process God supplies.

Eternal Glory

We saved up our money, pinching pennies and temporarily forgoing certain pleasures in order to have enough funds to pay for our vacation.  We looked forward to the day when we could experience Disneyland together, knowing it would be an enjoyable time together as a family.  Because of this great hope, we sacrificed gladly in the now in order to reap the benefit in the future.

In a much more powerful way, this is how I can withstand momentary troubles, knowing it will pale in comparison to the everlasting reward waiting for me in Eternity.  Keeping my focus on what is to come in the future instead of on the present suffering will give me an eternal perspective.

I can either live in the now and wonder "why me?" or I can press forward for what is to come and accept my lot in this life.

God places His very power within my weak and fragile body.  Why would He do such a seemingly foolish thing?  So He can get all the glory for the things He does through me, showcase His power by restoring my spirit day by day, and give me an unseen goal to keep me going.  In this way I can see the purpose for placing such a treasure in jars of clay.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God through all the hard times, knowing He has a purpose.

When do I feel discouraged about the state of my physical condition?

How can I draw strength from knowing I have much joy awaiting me in eternity?

Know Him. . . and Make Him Known

"You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves.

We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord,

and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake.

For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness,"

has made this light shine in our hearts 

so we could know the glory of God 

that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 4:5-6

Mother Teresa, a woman who gave her life to the poor and unwanted in the slums of Calcutta, India is known to have said the following:

"I follow Christ: Jesus is my God, Jesus is my Spouse, Jesus is my Life, Jesus is my only Love, Jesus is my All in All, Jesus is my Everything."  All she did was for the sake of Jesus and out of her love for Him.  

If I held that same passion and all-consuming love, how would my life change?

Motives

I have always been curious as to what drives people to do the things they do, whether they be serial killers or missionaries.  One thing every person has in common is motivation.  Our motivation differs, but we each do things for a reason, whether it be good or bad, noble or low, selfless or selfish.  All action is as a result of some belief, emotion, or reaction. 

If Jesus were my only motivation for choosing which activities, work and amusement I take part in each day, what would remain from my current schedule?  Would I still be so adamant about daily exercise?  Would checking my Facebook be a priority?  How important would maintaining a clean house fall in the scheme of things?  

In the light of Jesus, would I still decide to work overtime in order to earn a little extra money, or would I spend time with my children?  If Jesus were my everything, would I stick to my schedule or would I welcome the interruption of someone stopping by to chat?   If Jesus was the only fuel that fired my engine, would I still place so much emphasis on success?

I don't have the answers, but I know where to find them.  God's Word has much to say about what drives me as a follower of Christ.  In Philippians 3:8-9a I find Paul saying that, "everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him."  (NLT)

If my love for Jesus drove me, He would be the only thing in my vision.  Jesus would be the glasses I look through, tainting the landscape with His love.  I would no longer be concerned about my safety, my comfort, my welfare or my accomplishments.  Instead, I would only be concerned with whoever He places in my path and how I can point her to Jesus.  My primary motive would be to love those around me as a tiny example of how Jesus loves me.  My attitude would be one of humility as I desire to make Jesus known.

Action driven by a love for Jesus brings glory to Him.

Mind

My brain is filled with many things; annoying jingles, mindless trivia, scheduling details, things to do, problems to solve. . . oh yes, and the occasional thought about God and His Word.

God has made Himself known to me through faith in Jesus Christ.  It is possible to grow closer to my Creator and to fill my mind with His Word.  Because of this, I have the option to worship Him in all I do.

My mind could be filled with other things besides the trivial, seemingly-important things of this world.  As Thomas R. Kelly said, "Walk and talk and work and laugh with your friends, but behind the scenes, keep up the life of simple prayer and inward worship."  

How would my life change is my mind were to be preoccupied with thoughts of Jesus, thanks to Jesus and adoration of Jesus?  As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Always be joyful.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (NLT)

If my mind were absorbed in Jesus, all other things would take their rightful place as insignificant.  

Jesus has a way of putting things in perspective; transforming my mind to His point-of-view.

Light

When God created the world, the first thing He created was light.  It shone into the darkness, illuminating what was once formless and empty.  After light was created, there was possibility. There was day.  There was hope.  

Jesus also claimed to be the Light.  He said, "I am the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." (John 18:12 NLT)  Jesus truly gives me hope because if I follow Him, I will inherit eternal life.  

Now the One who first created light and sent His Son, who is Himself Light, has placed this light within me.  The light of Jesus shines within my heart, illuminating things that should not be there, and piercing through the darkness that is all around me.  Because of this great light, I have the hope of heaven, but also the joy of knowing a bit about the glory of God.

Moses wanted to see God's glory, but God said he'd only be able to tolerate seeing the backside of his goodness for no one could look upon the face of God and live.  But we have the opportunity to experience the glory of God in the face of Jesus.  His light lives within us waiting to shine out upon all with whom we come in contact.  

As John the Baptist said, "He must become greater, I must become less." (John 3:30) John's mission was to direct attention to the coming Messiah.  My mission is similar; to point to the risen Savior, Jesus Christ my Lord.    

The light of Jesus that is within me shines out to the world around me, as long as I am not in the way.  

Mother Teresa is a great inspiration.  The secret of her amazing life is found in her motives, her mind and the Light that was within her.  The same can be with me, if I will only give Jesus His rightful place as Lord of my life.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will consciously make Jesus Lord.

What other things, people or activities are lord in some areas of my life?

How can Jesus be my Everything today?

Behold

“To whom will you compare me?
   Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
   Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
   and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
   not one of them is missing."

Isaiah 40:26

"He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.'”  

Psalm 46:10

Modern life moves at a break-neck pace.  Mothers, especially, are experts at multi-tasking; trying to make the most of every moment.  There is always so much to be done and there is no time to waste!

Taking time to reflect on God's creation and sit quietly and listen to Him speak to my spirit is not, however, a waste of time.  It is vital to my spiritual growth. 

Ponder

When I take the time to enjoy the nature around me, I start to notice details that draw my attention toward the Creator.  If I let all the cares of the day fall away and focus on my Father, I will begin to see lessons within His creation. 

The pansy, colorful and delicate yet hardy enough to withstand temperatures below freezing, becomes a reminder of my own state as a jar of clay.  I am fragile and easily broken yet the very glory of Christ is within me.  The circumstances of life will not crush me, despite my weakness, in order for the all-surpassing power of God to be made known to those who are observing my life.

The graceful-looking vulcher gliding high up in the sky reminds me that the power of Jesus that is within me is greater than the ever-present threat of evil all around me.

A tree withstanding a powerful storm is a great reminder that I need to strive to be, "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." (Colossians 2:7)

As I walk with Jesus, I need to take the time to meditate on the lessons from scripture that He leaves hidden for me throughout His creation.  

Pay Attention

Taking the time to ponder God's awesome creation and the truths hidden there gets me more in-tune with Him.  Then I can practice listening to His still, small voice.

When Elijah was running for his life from the evil Jezebel, he thought he was the only one left who had not abandoned God.  He felt all alone.  In response, God sent a powerful wind, followed by a mighty earthquake, and then a consuming fire.  But God was not in any of these overwhelming events.  Instead, He came in a gentle whisper.

As I grow in my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I need to be more like my dog Strider.  He is so attuned to the neighbor's cat who roams around our yard, that he can sense the intruder even when he can't see outside. 

If I was that focused on the Lord, I would always hear and respond to His gentle whisper.

Pay Tribute

I tend to think I'm not that bad compared to others.  I mean, I'm no axe-murderer.  I try to do the right thing.  Sure, I have problems, but they're not that bad. . . .right?

As I grow closer to God, I stand before Him in awe.  His holiness and righteousness reveals my wretched sin and I fall to my face in response.  I cannot stand before a holy God without the blood of Jesus covering my sin.

God is above all things and He will be exalted in all the earth.  But I must place Him in the highest and most honored position in my heart.  I can't do that if part of me is holding that spot. . .If I think myself more than I really am.

In order to praise God as He deserves, I must humble myself and pay tribute to all that He is.  I need to exalt Him in my heart. 

As I grow in my walk with the Lord, I learn to recognize the importance of slowing down and focusing on my Savior.  Then I can ponder His greatness, listen to His still, small voice, and place Him above all things in my heart.

I can take the time to be still and know that He is God.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can focus on God throughout my day.

What piece of technology poses the greatest distraction from His voice?

How do I tune God out in order to focus on all that is going on around me?