2 Corinthians 4:7-12
This past Monday was one of those days. I got to work, and the phone started. It was one of those days that got very busy very fast. There was a call to handle a very big funeral on very short notice and things got really challenging really fast. At times, being fully transparent, I struggle in moments like those. I’ll look up and ask, “Jesus, really?” This past Monday was for real a stereotypical Monday…
Tuesday morning driving to work, don’t judge me, but I listened to some Christmas music. A Charlie Brown Christmas in the interest of full disclosure. All instrumental so, I wasn’t actually singing Christmas music yet, just listening. I got stuck in ungodly traffic as I do every morning and as I sat there on Hwy 55 listening to Christmastime Is Here, I got this thought.
What a broken vessel I am. Called to serve Jesus in amazing ways and yet at times I have the nerve to be disgruntled with that calling. I felt convicted. And adding to that conviction came the idea that because I was feeling all tired and “woe is me” I was going to cancel One Step this week. It was then that the Holy Spirit punched me right in the stomach. He put it on my heart this realization that, “Yes dummy you are a broken vessel. And I’ve given you a whole flock of broken vessels who need to hear about what it means to be a broken vessel. Because it’s important.”
And the Holy Spirit then instructed me to suck it up and take care of the work set before me.
So here we are, broken vessels all. Struggling at times in that brokenness. Deeming ourselves unworthy of Jesus’ grace. Well, the fact of the matter is, we are unworthy. But the work Jesus did on our behalf on the cross washes all that away and instead makes us the holders of the only treasure known to man that only increases in value after we leave this life.
It’s only after we’re in Heaven that we can come to realize the ultimate value attached to carrying the gospel in our hearts during the time we’re given in this life. Look at this verse. This is Paul writing in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 4:7.
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.
The light he mentions of course is the presence of Jesus, bringing light to our darkened hearts. The light is His Gospel, and we of course are the broken vessels. We’re blessed beyond reason to be the holders of this treasure, and that begs the question, why entrust the likes of some like me with something that valuable?
Paul has a great answer. “This makes it clear that our great power (the power to share God’s Word) is from God, not from ourselves.”
The key to walking through this life with a true Heavenly perspective, eyes fixed on what’s above, is to humbly accept that with Jesus we hold a great treasure that will lead us to eternal life with Him. Without Jesus, well, we’re not left with much.
As you take time to pray and to study God’s Word, bless yourself with the reality that as a born-again believer, even though you’re broken and even though at times it feels like the things Jesus pours into you leak out almost as fast as He’s pouring, He never stops pouring. And the treasure that He’s empowered you to carry will never fail you, it will never lose its value and will one day lead you to a type of glory that will never fade.
If you’re not a believer, today could be your day. All you have to do is ask Jesus into your heart. Confess that He is the only One who can set you free from your bondage to sin and you’ll receive that indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the One who will guide you through the trials of this life. And you will be a new creation in Jesus. You’ll remain a leaky vessel, but within you will be a treasure more precious than any found in this world!