Treasure Containers

Paul the Apostle is always such an inspiring individual to me.  To think today of someone being stoned to death and surviving, let alone to be beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, stoned and so on, and survive with a positive attitude ...WOW! 
II Corinthians 4:7-15  "7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.


13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God."

The analogy of the clay pot here is perfect for what we go through as Christians who are seeking to grow closer to God.  That lump of clay is softened by kneading it and mashing it and contorting it to get the air pockets out.  All the empty spots are removed and filled in with dense body.  Freshly harvested clay is pushed through screens to remove any small stones or other debris that might be in it.  If they were to shape a clay pot and then cure it in the kiln any debris would heat up and cause cracks or even cause an explosion destroying the pot.  A potter takes that clay and presses and contorts  the vessel until it looks like what he wants or how he pictures that clay to be.  Our heavenly Father puts us through tests and trials, molds us, makes us into what He envisions us to be.  Like a true potter, He never sees the clay for the shapeless lump that it starts out to be.  He sees us for what we will be in our final state, living in Glory with Him and covered in Jesus blood.

Verse 9 says "persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."  He never leaves us just sitting on the table to dry out.  He makes every effort to shape us into acontributing and usable vessel.  What is it that shapes is?  Trials and trouble are part of one of those things.  Blessings are others.  We often look at the trials and tribulations of life as the things that are shaping us but God often changes and molds us with blessings as well.  Do we remember more of the negative experiences we go through or the positive ones?  I am afraid that we often see more of the down side than the up side. Our blessings like children, sunsets, animal shpaes int he clouds, the first blooms of spring, a cool kiss on a warm forehead, a tender look,  a genuine embrace, the gift of laughter, and even the twinkle of an eye are blessings we can see every day if we want to and they make us who we are.

Be flexible.  Be moldable.  Become a vessel.

The Power of the Mustard Seed

As a gardener, I tend to deal with seeds, as one might imagine. I don’t know how many of you still grow anything from seed, but it is truly an amazing process. Seeds come in every shape ad size you can imagine! Think first about large seeds. Perhaps an avocado pit, or even a Black Walnut. All can recreate themselves, given the right conditions. Now, look at a smaller seed. Consider a bean seed, or a poppy seed or, even smaller yet, yes, the mustard seed.
Some seeds take forever to frow and need just the perfect light, warmth and moisture. Still others seem to germinate lying on top of the ground. Do you think that we are like the seeds with the way we grow in our faith and walk in Christ Jesus?
Matthew 13:31-32 Here we have the mustard seed. One of the tiniest seeds, and in the right environment grows a plant 5-6 foot tall. Our faith starts out the same way – just a speck is all it takes to get us believing. “Believe with all your heart.” As we allow ourselves to be nurtured by the Holy Spirit through reading the Word, studying, and talking to God, we grow. The trials and victories in our lives make us stand stronger and our roots push deeper. Those we encourage and teach lean on us and perch in our branches like birds in a tree, looking for a little support and protection as they themselves grow. The mustard plant then produces seeds of its own at the right time in its life. Those seeds can fall onto the surrounding rocks, or in the fertile ground beside the original plant or even be carried by a bird or the wind to another place where they will germinate and grow.
I came to this realization one day while watching the wrens sitting on the dried tops of my Echinacea in the garden. They were jostling the frozen heads and the seeds were falling out allover and then they picked some out themselves and ate them or carried them off, dropping some as they went. How interesting it is how nature takes care of itself whether we pay attention or not. How nice it was to see God in my garden today.

Withdraw to Lonely Places

Where do you live? Are you in a small town where everyone knows everyone else, big city where familiarity and neighborly behavior is considered quaint and the energy emitted by the constant flow propels you forward almost effortlessly? Are you in a house, an apartment, a mobile home or perhaps even a motel? We talk about a quiet place in your garden. Perhaps you don’t have the same luxuries that some of us may have with yards to plant in and places of our own to retreat to. Perhaps your quiet place is a public park or perhaps your garden is the Ficus tree or Peace Lily someone gave you as a housewarming gift. Wherever it is, whatever it is, I encourage you to make it as quiet as possible. How comfortable are you in the quiet where you can hear all your thoughts? Walk away from your computer. On second thought, shut it down. Now turn off the cell phone, the radio, the I-pod, the TV, microwave, ceiling fan…. whatever you’ve got on to distract your mind…shut it all down. It's like a little Yoga-size but with Jesus! Feel how much pressure is relieved from your body when all the humming and buzzing is eliminated. You just won’t realize how much mental congestion you surround yourself with until it is all eliminated. Now sit in the silence for 5 minutes. Just start with 5 minutes. A bit disconcerting until you acclimate to it, isn’t it?
Christ retreated to a quiet place whenever He needed to recharge and talk to His heavenly Father. It is noted several times how He retreated to mountains or to places of solitude. The definition of solitude is “the state of being alone; seclusion.” or “a lonely, unfrequented place” from Webster’s Dictionary. It is more and more difficult for us to set ourselves off to in place of solitude for any amount of time but oh, how imperative it is!

Check these references and read the situations surrounding them, as time permits.

John 6:15
Luke 22:39-46
Luke 6:12
Luke 5:16


Take time to be quiet and restore your soul.

Another Note On Surrender

Let me start out today with just another thought about surrender. If you have taken the time to let go of some of your life yesterday, I applaud you. Surely you feel lighter today, too. He takes care of everything if we let Him and when we leave it to Him. Paul is a great example of this and so is Esther. What an outstanding woman! How strong she was and how I wonder, that if put to the test, would I perform as well? No matter what the cost was going to be, she surrendered her will to live out what God’s will was. So what does it take to fully surrender – or to begin to surrender? Let’s go to the book of Proverbs 2:1-15.
Solomon was the last man that God gave wisdom to in such great measures and in these verses we can see a glimpse of that insight and wisdom. This passage sets us up with several action words that take us from the inception of surrender to its final release and clarity. He starts with “Accept my words”. The very first step in surrender. It sounds just so very simple when you read the words. Are they sinking in? Basics…”Though shalt not covet…” hmmmm. “Love thy neighbor as thyself”... Boy, that stings! Here’s one that gets tougher to do in this modern day…”Wives submit to your husbands”. Not very ‘woman’s rights’ sounding, huh? Another topic for another day. To continue in Proverbs, after we accept His words, He wants us to call out, cry aloud, look, search, store up, and then we will understand and find! What a collection of activity that will catapult you to your goal and into the pure joy of His presence.
Nature operates at His command. The tides come up and then recede, the sun rises and sets, the flowers bloom and the birds awaken the world each new day without grudge, remorse or apology. Something to consider.