Earthen Vessels

A dear friend at church recently got the cancer diagnosis that we all dread. He has a beautiful attitude and outlook. As I thought about and prayed for him, 2 Cor. 4:7-18 came to mind.

As we experience these pains, believers with hope in Christ also experience great joy and life. Paul describes the turmoil of this evil world that we still contend with today. Nevertheless, there is a light inside us because of Christ. We carry both the death of Jesus and the life of Christ. Paul calls it a “treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7, NKJV, emphasis added).

I think the New Living Translation’s description is enlightening—it describes the treasure as a light shining in our hearts. Although we are fragile, like jars of clay, the treasure inside us is excellent. It clarifies that the great power is from God, not us, which is the message Paul focuses on.

He continues to explain that although we are pressed on every side by troubles, we are not crushed. We may be perplexed but not driven to despair, hunted down but never abandoned by God. We may get knocked down, but not destroyed. By suffering with Jesus – we also share the life of Jesus (2 Cor. 4:8-10).

Another Scripture that came to mind was, “And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10, ESV, emphasis added). When we have the light of Christ in our hearts, our joy meter is full, regardless of our circumstances, because our trials are temporary, and our joy is eternal. Therefore, our joy gives us strength because it is from the power of God, not ourselves.

As we struggle with losing loved ones to this broken world and its diseases, we can rest assured that God will restore them and give them new bodies that will never experience pain or suffering again (Rev. 21:4).  Paul provides more details about this – explaining that when we die and leave these earthly bodies, we have a home in heaven. God will make an eternal body for us. As a guarantee of this, when we accept Christ in our hearts, God places the Holy Spirit inside us – this is the light in our hearts that gives us the hope that we have a new body and home to look forward to (2 Cor. 5:1-10, NLT).

Jars of clay and earthen vessels symbolize human weakness and dying bodies. Still, the treasure is life everlasting in Christ or God’s revelation of Himself in Christ deposited in an earthen vessel. We can learn to trust God amid adversity – the results we get are determined by the effort we put into our relationship with God.

“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:23, NLT, emphasis added).