I hope everyone was able to catch up on the Day 7 post. I felt it was best to post it again yesterday since several people were getting the message "Page Not Found" on Tuesday. Now we will all be in the same place as we move forward.
This morning the Apostle Paul talks about being down but not out. I don't know what you may be going through during this season of life, but when my alarm went off at 6am I immediately burst into tears. I was feeling both down and out. Some big and exciting things my husband and I had been working toward all summer didn't work out as we'd hoped, my husband was laid off work three weeks ago, and I was at the emergency clinic until 3am this morning with our little dog because she was having a flare up of her chronic pancreatitis. So Paul's message is exactly what I need. It helps me to put things in perspective. We may feel down sometimes but with the Lord on our side we are never out.
"Therefore, since through God's glory we have this ministry, we do not lose heart." (2 Corinthians 4:1) I came so close to losing heart this morning! I know some of you have been there. I know some of you are probably there right now. The phrase that is translated "lose heart" is from the Greek word "ekkakew" which means "to be bad or weak, to be spiritless, to be weary, to be exhausted". The things that happen in this world can make us feel exhausted mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But Paul says we don't have to lose heart in this manner. In fact, ekkakew has a negative connotation, so he is telling us we are not being who we ought to be when we feel like giving up. Certainly if we rely on our own strength we may find ourselves in a state of collapse, but we are to rely on the strength of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said, "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31) Isaiah uses a Hebrew word for "faint" which is similar to the Greek word Paul uses for "lose heart". I think both these men are telling us that there is no need for us to collapse under trial because we have an inexhaustible source of strength in the Lord.
Some of the enemies of the gospel have accused Paul and the other apostles and teachers of presenting a message that's deceptive or too difficult to understand. But the message of the gospel is easily understandable to anyone who wants to understand it. The power of the gospel is available to anyone who wants to receive it. "Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:2-4) Paul is not saying that people can't help not understanding the gospel. He's not saying that Satan has taken them captive against their will. The original text indicates that the person is to blame for willfully allowing himself or herself to be blinded to the truth and to be hard-hearted and to be stubborn. I love it that he uses the phrase "see the light" because this is exactly how he came to the faith: he saw the light! No one was probably more hard-hearted than the Apostle Paul was as he marched angrily down the road to Damascus with letters that gave him permission to arrest Christians and drag them back to Jerusalem for trial. But when presented with the glory of Christ, all his defenses crumbled. His spiritual blindness was wiped away, even though he was physically blind for three days. He was transformed forever.
"For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:5-6) The light of Christ is so bright it illuminates even the darkest corners of our hearts. If we will allow Him, He will transform us from a vessel of dishonor to a vessel of honor. He will make us shine like a lamp for all the world to see.
Like an ancient lamp made of ordinary clay, the beauty and glory of the light doesn't come from our flesh but from Christ in us. "But 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)
Because the power within us comes from the Lord and not from our own strength, we need never count ourselves as "out". We may be tempted and tried in this world, but God is strong where we are weak. We don't have to try and stand up to the storms of this life on our own two feet; the Lord invites us to lean on Him. Paul learned this valuable lesson and he passes it on to us. "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Amen! An hour ago I felt like I couldn't take another step and now I am ready to face the day. The Lord is with me! The Lord invites me to lean on Him so He can renew my strength. I still have the same problems I woke up with but I feel refreshed in the Lord.
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