We
are called to display God’s glory and show his light that shines out of
darkness. (2 Cor 4: 6). But how can we
do this, how can we worship and proclaim Christ in a world that is alienated
from God and his people? Especially when
we understand how weak we are in the face of life’s many challenges.
2
Corinthians 7 – 9 “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.”
Paul
calls us jars of clay. Weak, unpretentious and easily destroyed, jars of clay!
The
apostle is thinking of our many imperfections. He refers to our weakness and helplessness in the
presence of sin and temptation. (Rom
7:15,19)
He also looks to the weakness of
our appearance, that we often are not
impressive, battle to proclaim the light of God boldly and struggle with our insecurities.
(2 Cor 10:1 & 10)
We
also are jars of clay because of the decay of our bodies, of getting older,
weaker and that we are slowly wasting away. (2 Cor 4:16).
We
are only jars of clay, acknowledging our weakness and insignificance!
And yet, we have a treasure,
even though it is stored in jars of clay!
We
have the treasure of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only and
almighty Saviour of us and of the whole world.
It
is this treasure, and not being weak jars of clay, that shows the all
surpassing power of God in a world alienated from God and his people! Our weakness and insignificance shows off the
all surpassing power of our God in the face of the many dangers and challenges
before us.
Therefore,
We are hard pressed on every side, but
not crushed, since we show the power of
God to all;
perplexed, but not in despair,
since we show the power of God to all;
persecuted, but not abandoned,
since we show the power of God to all;
struck down, but not destroyed,
since we show the power of God to all.
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