I started this post last Friday the 17th but I was not able to finish.
It is now Monday the The 20th and I am attempting to finish. I had to
stop Friday just because I couldn’t write anymore. Friday was such
a hard day. One month since Brandon’s been gone and it feels like
forever yet at the same time it feels like just yesterday. What I wrote
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing
greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
8we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed,
but not despairing; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down,
but not destroyed; 10always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we
who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake,
so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12So death works in us, but life in you. 13But having the same spirit
of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE
I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14knowing that
He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and
will present us with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, so
that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may
As this day began I prayed and told Jesus that He was welcome here,
in my life, and in my heart. Not that Jesus is not already in my heart but I
wanted Him to know that I welcome Him and that I need Him to
be with me. What an incredibly hard day. One month ago today I woke
up to the terrifying screams of my mom on the phone telling me that
Brandon had been in an accident and it wasn’t good. She was inconsolable
and we were four hours away. The ride to Spartanburg was the longest
ride of my life after finding out that Brandon was gone. Only by the grace
of God did we make it, Gina was driving and doesn’t even remember
the trip; other than the pain that we all were feeling. This day, the 17th
will always be hard not that every other day for the rest of our life won’t
be hard but these just alittle harder. That’s when our dependence on the
Lord has to be that much more.
I am still in 2 Corinthians today. God gave me great hope through verses 7-15.
right from the beginning of these verses we see that we are feeble and weak,
BUT God is strong. We are weak, in earthen vessels so the greatness of God’s
Power can be revealed. We have the treasure of God’s power being revealed
through us, not we may get, or I wish I had but we have.
Verse 7 uses the term “earthen vessels.” Why would someone put a
special treasure in an earthen vessel or clay pot? This treasure is in
such weak, feeble, worthless vessel so the of power can be of God.
I am so weak. I can’t even put one footin front of the other without
God doing it through me. I can’t even put thoughts together other
than “Jesus” and “Brandon,” and “why.” But I know that in my
weakness He is strong, and His grace is sufficient for me, His strength is made
perfect in weakness. Well I am weak, completely broken. God be my strength.
Verses 8-9 show us that God’s power is shown through our trials. Paul uses four
vivid metaphors right off the military battlefield or out of the arena of a gladiator.
The first part of each phrase is describing our hardships in our earthen vessel.
The second part is describing God’s power revealed through our trials. First we
see that we are afflicted, or hard pressed on every side. The weight of the world
is coming down on us, we are being pressed like grapes by our circumstances yet
we are never crushed. Next, we are perplexed. This word means to be at a loss,
in doubt or uncertain. There are circumstances, trials, and tragedies such as the
one I am going through that we don’t understand and leave us at a loss. The
second part of this phrase though is our hope, and it says that we are not in despair.
Despair means to lose all hope. In my weakness I would be crushed and I would
lose all hope but thank God in my weakness His divine power shines through.
Paul also mentions persecuted but not forsaken and struck down but not destroyed.
I mainly wanted to focus on the first two.
We are handed over to death for Jesus’ sake. This death is physical and spiritual.
Brandon died to himself so that Christ would be manifest through him and He was.
Brandon also died physically, not as a martyr but as a servant of God. People’s lives
have been changed because of Brandon’s death. Salvation decisions have been made,
not because of anything Brandon did but because he was handed over to death for
Jesus’ sake, so His life could be manifested through him. Our lives should carry
around the same death of Jesus so His life can be seen through us. Is Jesus
being raised up through our sufferings? Whether dying is physical or dying is
spiritual, as in denying yourself daily, are we exalting Christ in our death?
Verses 13-15 show us that God’s power can be revealed through our hope. We endure
death because of our hope in the risen Savior. Followers of Christ share a common
hope; that Christ has risen from the dead. In this lays our hope, Christ’s resurrection.
Our hope is grounded in certainty of the final outcome, our resurrection, Brandon’s
resurrection, after death, based on Christ’s resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection is our
assurance that one day we would also be raised up and presented faultless before
God. Our hope, being left here full of lose is that one day we will see Brandon
again. We have that assurance. We know Brandon is spending eternity with God,
with no more fears, no more tears, no more regrets, no more wishes, just the
satisfaction of experiencing the glory of God. The trumpet will sound, and the
dead will be raised incorruptible. As we go and speak about Life to people,
we speak because of the hope we have through Christ. Brandon’s life is a testimony
to God’s power being shown through death. At the end of this section of Scripture
we see that all this, the suffering, the death, the pain, the trials are given to us so
that the power of God will be revealed through us and the grace of God will spread
and God will receive thanksgiving and glory.
This has been a powerful text to meditate on. I need hope right now and I am
definitely weak, having trouble just getting through the day. God’s power is
being revealed through Brandon’s death and my weakness. Praise God.
1 comment:
we love you & are praying for you!
betsy
www.momentswiththemitchells.blogspot.com
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