Day 29 – Issue 21

Be Still Know

2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT

‘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.’

When my daughter was young, she used to like visiting charity shops and jumble sales. As she worked her way round, she was always on the lookout for small animal ornaments and especially those with some visible damage, such as a chipped ear. Her rationale was that these were rejected and most in need of a loving home, something she could provide. The cash value of her purchases was negligible, yet her emotional attachment immense.

I’m sure I’m not alone in finding it distinctly difficult to see through my own warts to appreciate the wonder that God has crafted into me. Others are much better placed to notice. Yet even when they comment, I am too self-effacing to accept their compliment. Failure to do so reveals a lot about just how little I think of myself. While I agree with Paul that I’m not to think more highly of myself than is appropriate (Romans 12:3), many of us tend to judge ourselves too harshly. Yet, we are filled with the very essence of God in the Holy Spirit.

A great benefit to spiritual direction is finding a space in which to separate the fragile mortal flesh from the great deposit of faith within. I often have to talk through my own fears and insecurities in order to discover that treasure within. And this isn’t my treasure. It’s wealth created by God who accepts me just the way I am, with an invitation to walk on into ever greater degrees of glory. No matter if this earthen vessel has some chips, scratches and bits missing. It is still a worthy container for the miracle of God’s loving grace.

QUESTION: How has God used the scratches and cracks of your life to reveal his grace?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for putting the great treasure of the gospel into this jar of clay.