The Jars of God

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: 7

It is not what God gives us what's important.  It is what He pours out through us onto others what matters.  He wants to make us like Jesus, and the characteristic of Jesus is self-sacrifice.  I'm paraphrasing these ideas from today's reading of My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, and, once again, the author's reflections are making me think...they make me think about things like the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12) and what I am doing or not doing with them.  These ideas are making me think of how I often pray with my sons and thank God for everything that He has given to us...but very rarely, I thank Him for what He pours out onto others through us.  We praise Him for what He pours into our jars...but we don't thank Him for what He pours through us and out of our jars for the benefit of others.

In God's economy, the profit is always two-fold:  He gives us so we can give.  He blesses us so we can bless.  He gives us spiritual gifts so we can be one in the body, and make it work effectively.

The question is:  am I doing that?

All these considerations made me think of the verse above, and how we are the jars of clay Paul is talking about there.  We are the jars of clay which in spite of all their fragility, still contain Divinity, no so we could boast on how amazing and strong and powerful we are, but so we can glorify our Awesome God.  It is because we are the jars of clay that we praise Him because He chooses to pour Himself into our lowly vessels so we can then flood the world with His abundance, in love and mercy.  The perfect gifts are wrapped in crumpled paper bags.  The Light is reflected and bounces off broken mirrors.  The wine is poured out of a dirty pitcher.  God lives not in a temple of silver, gold and precious jewels.  He lives in a heart of flesh and a soul that has endured many wounds.  He doesn't choose us because we are mint...He always picks the ones with the most scars.  He doesn't take the finest crystal. He handpicks the ones with the most cracks.  And from these imperfect, fragile, insignificant, common, broken, dirty containers, He pours Himself out to the world...so all can see that to Him belong all honor and glory.

It's fascinating how a change in perspective unfolds new meaning. A pitcher has two functions: to receive and to deliver.  Let's make sure that we don't forget, that even though we are made of clay, we are His jars, and as such, we rejoice when He fills us up, always remembering that we are meant to also be emptied out.  May the Holy Spirit guide us in our journey to fulfilling our purpose as His Jars of Clay.  Amen!