Morning by Morning, June 5 - Jars of Clay, Broken but Shining the Light of the Glory of God Good morning, Lord Jesus. I look to You and listen for Your leading. ... “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 ESV). Let my life proclaim the surpassing power of Your life today. You’re Lord, not me. You’re the Savior, not any of us. You’re the One with the surpassing power to save souls, heal hearts, break chains, push back the darkness with the Presence of Your glorious Light. You’re the Treasure. Yet by the grace of God, in this mystery of faith, You’ve chosen to hide Your Treasure in our hearts and display Your glory through our lives. We’re like simple, fragile jars of clay, made from mud though made to be handled with care, but often dropped, mishandled, set aside and broken in the rough and tumble of life in a broken and fallen world. And at the same time, created to carry the Light of the glory of God in us. You are the Light of the world (John 8:12). And at the same time, You said of us, as Your disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill (that) cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). Just like You are the Light of a Candle, shining out of our jars of clay; and You are the Treasure, laid up in our hearts as Your treasure chest. That’s all part of what Your Word means, “Christ in (us), the hope of glory” -- Your glory, shining through us (Colossians 1:27). And some of the most amazing ways You display Your glory through our lives is through the cracks in our pots, the brokenness of our jars of clay. The broken places become the glory places, because that’s how the Light of Your Glory shines through us for others to see. That’s how a hurting and broken world around us sees Your Light shing through us. As this Scripture of our nature of “jars of clay” carrying Your treasure in our hearts and displayed through our lives goes on to say: “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. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:8-11). It's worth it all, because You’re with us through it all -- displaying Your glory through our lives, drawing lost souls and broken hearts to the Light of Your glory and the Love of our God through the brokenness of our lives lived out trusting in You. Just as Your Word goes on to say, encouraging us to continue and empowering us to shine with the Light of Your Glory through our jars of clay: “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” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Lord, let the Light of Your “eternal weight of glory” shine through me -- even through my brokenness, even especially though my brokenness -- today and every day on this side of eternity. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today. In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friend, may you let the light of the glory of God shine through your heart and life, even through your brokenness, especially through your brokenness, in Jesus' name. God bless you, my friend! And you have a great day! Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries Mailing Address: 412 S. Adams Street #148 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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