Jars of clay
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7
This passage talks about how the glory of God moves into the heart of every believer at the point of salvation. Let’s explore a little on what that glory actually is and looks like in your life personally. Even though God’s glory could be seen on the outside when God’s people were in the wilderness and other times throughout history, for the most part it was kept behind a veil for the protection of the people. After Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven, that glory moved to the inside of every believers in the form of the Holy Spirit. So once again it seems like it is hidden or veiled, but the evidence of it is very real. Here in 2 Corinthians 4 it says that it is hidden from unbelievers because they are blind. Their minds are blinded by the god of this world, Satan. Because we have the same frail body as an unbeliever, they can see the power of God coming through us in the message of salvation as if the glory were shining through a broken vessel.
Today’s verse says that we are an “earthen vessel” that houses this treasure of God’s glory. We are actually the container that carries this treasure in the earth. So instead of the people having to go to where the glory of God was housed in the temple, now the glory goes out to the people of the nations in God’s ministers/children. The treasure is the message of the gospel (good news) of salvation in Christ Jesus! Glory to God! When we read today’s verse in its context, we see that as we speak what we believe about this good news and let the power of the Holy Spirit flow through our lives, the glory of God is released from us through our faith filled words into the lives of those we speak into.
There are also benefits of this treasure listed in the passage. These benefits protect as we share His treasure with others. They are as follows: when we are under pressure, we will not be crushed or defeated. When we are perplexed or puzzled, we will not despair or be discouraged. When we are persecuted, we are not forsaken or forgotten about and when we are struck down, we will not be destroyed. Wow! Those promises pretty much make us indestructible when we are sharing the gospel/glory of God with others. This revelation should eliminate any fear we have about loving others by sharing the love of God with them.
Overall, this “treasure” of God’s glory that we carry around on the inside is the light that we shine in the dark world. The Light that we share with lost people to lead them to the truth of God’s great love. It is a great ministry that we have been given, and it is God’s plan and will for our life now that we are in Christ Jesus. Nothing else is so important. Not how much money we make, not how many vacations we take, and not how comfortable we are in life. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with these things, I’m simply saying the only thing you can take with you when you leave this earth is the lives you’ve touched for eternity.
Today I want to encourage you to let the glory of God shine in your life and share the love of Jesus with just one person. You don’t have to reach the masses, just one person at a time. Sometimes it may seem overwhelming because there are just so many that need to hear, but if we all just reach one at a time, we can win the whole world. Ask God to bring the “one” into your life today that is ready to receive and then take the step of faith to release the treasure inside of you of the good news of His Salvation.
Today’s scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 4:1-15
The Daily Dose 