Favorite Passages

2 Cor. 4

This chapter contains two of my favorite passages. These passages have ministered and still minister to my heart. The first one is:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. [v. 7-10]

The reason believers face suffering and affliction differently is because of the treasure that we have within our own bodies. We know that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within us, whom we have from God. We are not our own, for we were bought with a price. The gospel in all of its fullness has taken root within our lives, and with it comes the indwelling Spirit of God. What a treasure is this! Such power lives within us, and is there for our constant access. It is there for us to show the great power of God that resides within His own people. Because of it, we are not crushed when afflicted. We are not in despair when perplexed. We are not forsaken when persecuted, nor our we destroyed when struck down. No matter how difficult the trial even if it takes our life. we have eternal life. Jesus has conquered death, and since we have Him as our Savior, we too conquer death, sin, and hell. Wow! Quite a treasure in our piddly jar of clay!

The second one is:
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. [v. 16-18]

Such hope is ours! It is there for the taking. Jesus died to provide us this hope and this eternal perspective. Even though we see our physical bodies wasting away with age, disease, or just plain use, we are growing stronger in our inner man. Our spirits are being nurtured by the Spirit of God Himself! We have His words to daily read. memorize and apply. Whatever we experience in this life, no matter how hard is, is but a light momentary affliction, that is in light of the eternal weight of glory. This eternal weight of Glory is our hope. It is what we long for and what our primary focus is to be. Once Jesus is in the life, all our desires and hopes are being transformed. Our outlook goes from the temporal to the eternal. We long to be with Him in heaven, to live with the One who saved us. Just like Jesus in Heb. 12:1-2. When he endured the humiliation and pain of the cross, He kept His eyes focused on the joy that was set before Him. That was His hope, and it must be our hope as well.

Father,
Grow me in Your love and strength. Help me nurture the Treasure You have placed within my  life. Build my spiritual vision so all that I see is the hope set before me. Thank You for Your words and the great power within them.
In Jesus name,
Amen