2 Corinthians 4:7-12
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
林後4:7-12
7 我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裡，要顯明這莫大的能力，是出於 神，不是出於我們。8 我們四面受敵，卻不被困住；心裡作難，卻不至失望；9 遭逼迫，卻不被丟棄；打倒了，卻不至死亡。10 身上常帶著耶穌的死，使耶穌的生也顯明在我們身上。11 因為我們這活著的人，是常為耶穌被交於死地，使耶穌的生，在我們這必死的身上顯明出來。12 這樣看來，死是在我們身上發動，生卻在你們身上發動。
Sometimes because our God is not tangible or visual, it's easy for us to think that we're fighting our battles on our own. Many of the young adults in our family are facing the stresses of final exams and college applications, where everything feels like an uphill battle against eventual failure. But such is the power of the earthen vessels/jars of clay that Jesus gifted to us. This passage reminds us that every time we suffer defeat we are reborn and become stronger through the life of Jesus who dwells in us. He is the ultimate victory. All we need to do is step aside and let Him take over. What a great way to practice "No longer I, but Christ" - praise the Lord!
ReplyDeleteHerman