FROM CLAY TO GOLD

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. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never [never!] abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to Himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit.🥺 Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day!🥺 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever.

We do not look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. 

For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. We know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.

God Himself has prepared us for this…

I understand that this text [2 Cor 4:6-11,14-18; 2Cor 5:1-5] may not be as relatable as it was to the people Paul wrote to, who were facing all sorts of persecution. But just by writing these blog posts, I have encountered and heard stories from and about people who are having to contend for their faith every single day! They are pressed on every side, hunted down by trials, by one misfortune or the other, sometimes even by their knowledge. I will not attempt to define what this looks like for you; only you can understand the pain that threatens your faith, the danger that beckons near because you serve the Lord Jesus. But Paul said all of this is for your benefit, beloved! And though your bodily strength is waning, cling to this hope, knowing that He replenishes the life within you! As I read these words this morning, I knew better than to dilute them with mine, so I served them as raw as I could. Be encouraged, love! For soon, we will be reunited with Him, and He will wipe every tear from your eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. [Revelation 21:4]

Love,

RAD! 💖