Journal Entry // August 5, 2022
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. (ESV)
2 Corinthians 4:7
These jars of clay, a representation of the frailty and weakness of our bodies, have within them the most precious and costly treasure, the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ. Our bodies, which are prone to corruption and the effects of sin, are the chosen storage vessels of this most important and beautiful message. My weakness is on display all the time. This simple jar of clay is so fragile of a vessel for the Spirit of God to abide. Yet, God chooses to unite himself with his children and inhabit the heart of these weak and frail jars of clay. This naturally leads us to ask the question, “Why?” The answer is simple enough. The display of God’s strength and surpassing power is on display in the lives of these weak and frail jars of clay. The weakness of my flesh allows for the power of Christ to be at work and on display daily in my life as he pours out grace and mercy into my heart and works this same grace and mercy through me into the lives of others.
It’s a beautiful picture of humility. That simple word that keeps making an appearance in my thoughts and meditations. In humility, I understand that I am just a simple jar of clay. I am just a vessel. A means for displaying this surpassing power of God. That’s my role to play. A simple man that understands his weakness and complete dependence upon the Lord for each and every breathe he takes. As I sit here and think about this truth, I can focus on my breathing. I can see that my breathing is involuntary 99.9% of the time. That the Lord sustains my breathe and my very life without any participation on my part. My heart beats out its rhythm without any need for my intervention and help. I take these things for granted. They are so commonplace in my everyday experience that I don’t really think about the grace of God allowing me to breathe without thinking. What a continual mercy it is to have this very breathe of life filling me and cleansing me.
In my pride, I negate all of this. I want to be in control and take the lead on where I am heading and where I am to best live out my life in this world. I want to be the master of my own domain. I want to be the king of my realm. My pride wants to change this jar of clay into something more important and valuable. My sin wants to take the focus away from my design to showcase the glory and power of Christ and put the whole focus on myself. My sin wants all of life to be about me. And at times… so do I.
I am just a weak and frail vessel pointing others to the glorious and powerful One. The strength and wisdom of God is displayed through this simple, humble, weak man. A man that understands he is in need of his Savior. A man that knows that each and every breathe comes only from the hand of God. All things are from him and all things are through him and all things are to him. Lord Jesus, make this true in my heart. Keep me humble and dependent upon you completely. Let me rejoice in my weakness as your grace and mercy fill me and your Spirit inhabits and leads me. May this jar of clay simply be a jar of clay and nothing more. May people look at this vessel and see the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ on display.