Earthen Vessel

For a while II Corinthians 5:14, For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;, has been consistently on my mind. It seemed that no matter what I was learning, teaching,... in some way the truth that Christ's love, the LOVE that sent Him to the cross (John 3:16), should compel us to ACT. It should drive, motivate us in our walk, journey, life to make choices, to live our life in a way that HE directs, that brings HIM glory (recognition), that will further HIS kingdom...WOW! What motivation! He made, loves, came for, died and rose for us! Why would we dare not follow HIM? Live like HIM?... This is ALL true and so much more could be said, but I am going to tell you what happened Wednesday and came to a climax this morning.

Ready for it? This is AWESOME! I love it when God speaks, which HE always does, we just aren't often listening!

Wednesday as I was waiting for my Bible study friend, I opened my Bible and II Corinthians 4:7-15 caught my eye. Go ahead read it. :) 

I immediately thought of the song Trading My Sorrows. Then I really focused and read starting in verse 7. But we have this earthen vessel that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. He created us with the limitations, shortcomings, to have needs and the inability to care for or meet them...Why? For the same reason HE has given throughout HIStory with Adam & Eve and their need for clothes and sacrifice, Noah and the ark, the 10 commandments,... because the power is of God, NOT of us! Everything we need, HE is supplying. (Philippians 4:19 and Ephesians 3:14-21)

But wait! It doesn't end there. Everything we are brought into shows that we need HIM and HE carries us through, showing that we only need HIM, HE will provide, protect, and lead. We just have to yield and say I'm done! It's not what I can control, do, provide, protect,...because I am not able to do anything outside of HIM! He gives us lessons to help us realize it is about our need for HIM! It's about saving us with ETERNAL HOPE because HE wants that personal relationship with us! As we learn and live this, it will spread, become contagious, and many will find the grace which will cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God!

HE set the Israelites apart to show all nations that HE is, was, and always will be the ONE and ONLY true God. (Isaiah 44:6) HE calls us and uses us to give testimony of HIM! When we yield to HIM, HE leads, guides, protects, and provides for us. We can and should see it is all HIS doing, then tell others so that HE gets the glory! Instead of seeing a shortage in needs, we see a huge opportunity for the FATHER to lavish HIS supplies and blessings on us as HIS child. Encouragement, strength, refuge & rest, food, bills, clothing,... When we step out of the way to stop trying to control, God will receive the glory, recognition, because it is nothing we have done but what HE does!

Next, I decided that I should read the verses that come before verse 7 because verse 7 begins with But. This mean there is a comparison or contrast. Well what is it? In II Corinthians 4:1-6, we have this ministry to do! We are to be light, reflect HIS image, that those who are blinded might see HIM! Not for personal recognition or so we can say look at me. BUT so we live in a way that people see HIM and are drawn to HIM! I am reminded of what Ghandi said, I like your Christ, but I don't like your Christians. If your Christians acted more like like your Christ, I might become a christian. Others have said Christians are the worst to do business with. HOW DARE WE? Remember, we are to be compelled by Christ's love that drove HIM to the cross for us to save us. We taint, cover THIS IMAGE  by controlling things, providing for ourselves, standing for what we feel are our rights, we make it about ourselves. 

Why did Paul say that all things are good but not all are beneficial (I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23) Sure we have freedom! We can live anyway that we want, but when we do we give an ugly distorted picture of WHO our Lord and Savior is! (Romans 6:1) The world can say, I have worked for this, I partied and enjoyed losing control of myself, I was able to get so much done on Sunday or go fishing... But only those who have a personal relationship with Christ can say ABBA supplied  my food, clothing, shelter, only those who have that relationship can say, I gathered with my brothers and sisters in Christ to invest in and encourage them and to receive their encouragement and investment. The ministry that we are called to is to let HIM shine, not ourselves and definitely not the world because we have been called out of the world. (John 15:19; Romans 12:2, 14:7; II Corinthians 1:9) 

I was drawn to see how this passage concludes. (It didn't but let me tell you how it tied to II Corinthians 5:14) 

As I was soaking in II Corinthians 4:16, I couldn't stop at verse 18 but had to continue through chapter 5, Paul was encouraging that bad, hard, sad times do come. This earthen vessel will perish and as we get older the evidence of that becomes more evident! Also as we get older, if we have the personal relationship with Christ, our inward man, spirit or soul, is renewed everyday. What we experience in our earthen vessel is for just a moment, James 4:14 says that its as a vapor. Affliction is part of what God uses to shape us into HIS character (James 1; Philippians 1:6) and it is outweighed by the eternal weight of glory. Our hope is not in the temporary that can be gone in a moment but in the eternal. HE gives us HIS Spirit, at the moment we come to HIM through Christ, as our Guarantee, Reminder, and Comforter that this world is not our home!

Knowing this we want to live our lives, we are compelled to live our lives in a fashion that draws man to HIM; so that they too may have the ETERNAL HOPE that is within us. Having a clear conscience because we lived according to HIS path! (Hebrews 12:1-2) We cannot boast about what we have done, but that we are old creatures passed away, made new through Christ's death and resurrection! (II Corinthians 5) We are compelled to ACT as the new creature, bearing well and honestly to the office of Ambassador for which we are called. 

There are so many truths, so much to learn about HIM and the path HE has called us to. I challenge you to read II Corinthians 4 & 5. Learn what HE has for you, apply it, and share it! Remember this world is not my home, but as I live in it I will let it see the difference HE makes and be the light to which others are drawn to HIM! For me to live is Christ! (Philippians 1:21)