2 Corinthians 4:7-12: a reflection

7But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves. 8We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; 9pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12So then death works in us, but life in you.

Paul describes the paradox of Christian ministry and life: But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. The treasure is the glory of the gospel, the light of Christ; the jars of clay are our frail, ordinary, breakable selves. God has deliberately placed his priceless treasure in fragile human vessels, so that when his power is at work, it is clearly seen to be his, not ours. And Paul goes on: we are afflicted, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; struck down, but not destroyed.

Notice the purpose of the clay jars: to show that the power is God's. God did not place his treasure in impressive, unbreakable containers, but in weak and ordinary ones, precisely so that the surpassing power at work would be recognized as his and not ours. Our very frailty, our weakness and ordinariness, becomes the backdrop against which God's glory shines, so that no one mistakes it for our own. And this is why Paul can be afflicted but not crushed: the strength that sustains him is not his own limited strength but God's.

That is a comfort for us, frail jars of clay that we are. We often feel too weak, too ordinary, too breakable to be of use to God, and are discouraged by our own frailty. But Paul says our very weakness is the point: God places his treasure in weak vessels so that his glory, not ours, gets the credit. You do not have to be an impressive, unbreakable vessel; God works through frail clay jars, and your very weakness lets his glory shine. When you feel weak and frail, remember: you are a clay jar holding a treasure, and the surpassing power belongs to God. Be afflicted but not crushed, weak but not destroyed, sustained by a strength that is not your own but his.

Lord, Paul said that we have this treasure in jars of clay, so that the surpassing power might be seen to belong to you and not to us. Thank you that you place your priceless treasure in frail, ordinary vessels like me, so that when your strength is at work, it is clearly yours, not mine. When I feel too weak, too ordinary, too breakable to be of use to you, remind me that my very weakness is the point: you work through clay jars so that your glory, not mine, gets the credit. Help me not to despise my frailty, but to let your strength shine through it. Make me afflicted but not crushed, weak but not destroyed, sustained by a strength that is not my own but yours. I am a clay jar holding your treasure; let your surpassing power be seen in me.