Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7–18
Bible in a Year: Psalms 57–59; Romans 4
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
In 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake and a resulting tsunami took
nearly 19,000 lives and destroyed 230,000 homes in the region northeast
of Tokyo. In its aftermath, The Nozomi Project, named for the Japanese
word for “hope,” was born to provide sustainable income, community,
dignity, and hope in a God who provides.
Nozomi women sift through the rubble of homes and furnishings to
discover broken china shards that they sand and insert into fittings to
form jewelry. The jewelry is sold around the world, providing a
livelihood for the women while sharing symbols of their faith in Christ.
In New Testament times, it was customary to hide valuables in the
unlikely vessels of simple clay pots. Paul describes how the treasure of
the gospel is contained in the human frailty of followers of Christ:
jars of clay (2 Cor. 4:7). He suggests that the meager—and even at times
broken—vessels of our lives actually can reveal God’s power in contrast
to our imperfections.
When God inhabits the imperfect and broken pieces in our lives, the
healing hope of His power is often more visible to others. Yes, His
repair work in our hearts often leaves the scars of cracks. But perhaps
those lines from our learning are the etchings in our beings that make
His character more visible to others.
Dear God, please show others Your power as I share the treasure of Your gospel in my broken, but beautiful life.
Brokenness can lead to wholeness.
© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries
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