Jars of Clay

I am currently involved in a Bible Study called BSF (Bible Study Fellowship.)  This Bible Study runs from September to May.  I greatly look forward to this time every Wednesday morning.  We have been studying the book of Acts, along with several of Paul's epistles which he wrote on his missionary journeys.  This very in-depth study has challenged me in so many ways.  We are currently studying through 2 Corinthians, which is a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth.  During the lecture last week, our teacher brought a new aspect to a set of verses in chapter 4.  I love this picture that she described, and so I thought I would share it.

"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."        (2 Corinthians 4:6-8)

I have read this passage many times, and I have always known that "jars of clay" refer to our bodies.  Kirsten, our teacher, reiterated the fact this week that it is what we carry around in our lives/bodies that is the true treasure.  The first verse (v. 6) shares the promise that we carry around.....that God has made His light shine in us.  The verses then go on to say that although we face many hardships, we are not destroyed.  But, what I especially loved is when Kirsten mentioned that sometimes clay jars get cracked.  Cracks are painful, ugly, and frustrating, but these cracks allow some of what is inside to spill out.  Essentially, she was making the point that sometimes God has to "crack" us and "break" us in order to allow God's light and glory to spill out into the lives of others.  I think we can all think of times when we have dealt with a hard situation and God has placed just the right person who has also been "cracked" with a similar situation to encourage us.  God used that person to shine light into our lives throughout that difficulty.  I just think this is a beautiful picture.  Oftentimes, I get frustrated when I am "cracked" and the focus easily turns to myself...my hardship....my feelings....etc.  Instead, I think God wants us to use these "cracks" to let His light shine into others.  Instead, I should look for ways to share what I am going through in order to encourage others.

Our God is so big, and I am constantly amazed at how He intertwines the lives of His children so perfectly to meet our every need.  It is like He works to biggest, most complex brain teaser or sudoku puzzle that we could ever imagine....but even more complicated that what we can conjure up.  I am thankful for such a BIG God who can use even our "cracks" for His glory!