I was up early this morning in order to finish my prep for this weekend’s men’s retreat. I’m excited about getting away with guys for some time to connect with God and each other!

In the middle of working, I received an email from my good friend, Bob Ford, with the following mediation. Powerful!

Read II Corinthians 4:1-11

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. —2 Corinthians 4:7
 
It has been said that the Roman Empire ran on olive oil. It was used in cooking, bathing, medicine, ceremonies, lamps, and cosmetics. For decades, olive oil from southern Spain was shipped to Rome in large clay jugs called amphorae. Those jugs, not worth sending back, were discarded in a growing heap of broken shards known as Monte Testaccio.

The fragments of an estimated 25 million amphorae created that man-made hill, which stands today on the bank of the Tiber River in Rome. In the ancient world, the value of those pots was not their beauty but their contents.

Because of this, the first-century followers of Christ would have clearly understood Paul’s illustration of the life of Jesus in every believer. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:7).
 
Our bodies, like amphorae, are temporary, fragile, and expendable. In our modern world that highly values outward beauty, we would be wise to remember that our greatest treasure is the life of Jesus within us. By God’s grace and power, may we live so that others can see Christ in us.

We are just the clay pots. Jesus is the true treasure within us.  — David C. McCasland
 
Although my outward shell decays,
I’m inwardly renewed each day,
Because the life and power of Christ
Indwells this fragile jar of clay. —Sper
 
Christ is seen most clearly when we remain in the background.

(From RBC Our Daily Bread)

“O LORD, by Your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life.” (Psalm 17:14)

For the believer who may be going through a painful experience, no matter how bad things get in this life, this is the closest to Hell you will ever get.

However, for non-believing men and women of this world, whose reward is in this life, you’d better live it up, because this is the closest to Heaven you will ever get.

Which world are you living for?

For my daily devotional reading, I’ve been making my way through the Psalms. These two verses from Psalm 16 particularly caught my attention this morning:

LORD, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

Have you ever stopped to consider that God draws the boundary lines for your life? That He assigns us our portion and cup?

When Israel went into the Promised Land, each tribe was given a section of the country as their inheritance. The “boundary lines” refer to the surveyor’s lines within each tribe’s territory which determined the particular parcel (or “lot”) for each family. Obviously, some areas were better than others.

While the Israelites cast lots to see what which particular division would be theirs, the psalmist is making the point that in reality, God determined the lots where each tribe and family would live.

I love the notes on this passage from the ESV Study Bible: Contentment with My Chosen Portion. The psalm now describes the psalmists satisfaction with the Lord and His provision. The terms portion, lot, lines, and inheritance evoke the allocation of the land into family plots... the song promotes contentment with the arrangements of one’s life, seeing them as providentially ordered.

Indeed. Proverbs 20:24 says, “A man’s steps are directed (NASB: ordained) by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?”

God used these two verses to underscore the importance of contentment. More to the point: “Am I content with what God has given me?”

Commenting on this passage, David Guzik aptly observes that a mark of our age – especially with the Baby Boom generation and perhaps even more with those following – is discontentment, boredom, and restlessness. A generation with short attention spans, the constant need for excitement and adrenaline rushes, and 24-hour a day entertainment needs to know by experience what David knew.

So do I.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

I know it's the day before Easter, but I wanted one last shot at reminding you that there is great receptivity among the unchurched to an invitation to attend Worship with YOU on Easter. Pray.  Give them a call this afternoon.  Pray.

To prepare for tomorrow's message, spend some time tonight reading through I Corinthians 15.  I'm going to be speaking on: "Living Like There IS A Tomorrow"

For those of you who are traveling and will be away this weekend, I hope you have an AWESOME Resurrection Day! Pray for us as we pray for you :)

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the LORD makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in His hand. After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.  Isaiah 53:10-12