Treasures in jars of clay

 

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 

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.

We always carry around n our body te death of Jesus,

 so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal body.

For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake,

so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.

So then, death is at work in us,

but LIFE is at work in you.

 Clay jars were used to hold belongings, even the very valuable ones up till today.

These jars aren't necessary the prettiest jars,

many times they are dirty and have cracks here and there.

Believers in Christ are like these clay jars,

though we may look ordinary outside,

yet in all of us we carry immeasurable treasures!

 The message of the gospel is precious and valuable like a treasure of jewels or light, 

but it is purposely contained in common and ordinary-looking human "vessels of clay."
In the next verse Paul moves on to show us that we are not 
just a common earthenware container,

but also a rather battered one as well.

"Hard pressed", "perplexed", "persecuted", "struck down"

sounds familiar to what you're going through?

Yet "But not crushed," "but not in despair," "but not abandoned," and "but not destroyed" 

all refer to the deliverance which God is able to bring to any "impossible" situation.

You remember the last time the sky seemed to be falling on your head,

OH no there's no way out,and POOM! Miraculously, 
Super Christ comes in and saves the day?

What about the other time when you were so down,

and He gave you a verse in the Bible to lean on and helped you push through?

 God purposely permits the clay pots to be battered so that He 

can exhibit His supernatural power in the situation. 

All the struggles and hassles of the battering a Christian goes through 

have the result of breaking open the clay jar so that the treasure within can be seen.

To "carry around in our body the dying of Jesus" 
and to be "given over to death for Jesus' sake" 

is to experience in some small way the battering which our Lord 

went through when He walked on this earth.

As the Christian undergoes these deadly attacks and the jar of clay is broken down, 

the Divine Life can be both seen and communicated more easily to others who need this treasure.

vs16-18 

 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. 

When we look only at the frail clay pot, despair is the natural result, 

but when we look at the glorious treasure we hold, we are inwardly renewed day by day. 

And those frailties and cracks in our clay pot? 

They are not to be despised, for they now serve a purpose! 

They allow the life of God, our cherished treasure, 

to seep out for all those around us to see.

God will permit the battering and breaking process to go on in your life. 

There may be changes in your way of living, but that is all part of Christian growth. 

Remember, there is treasure that can meet the needs of others in your jar of clay.

Credits:eDevotions for Growing Christians

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