Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Gray hair: Crown of glory
2 Corinthians 4: 7-18Vs 16: Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day
Most people put treasure in precious and expensive containers. However, God puts treasure in jars of clay. God wants to show plainly that the marvelous power of the gospel is from him, not from his servants. Why do we need to be reminded of this? Sometimes when God works mightily his servants become confused as if they have done great work. They think they are the treasure and become proud and useless. God reminds us that we are like jars of clay. We are nothing but dust and we have no real value or beauty.
In this part, we can find another secret to living a victorious life. When we consider Paul’s sufferings, they were enough to crush anyone. Simply bearing these sufferings without giving up was a great victory. Yet Paul went beyond this. Verse 13 says, “It is written: ‘I believed; therefore, I have spoken.” Paul had spoken the word of God boldly in the midst of hardships. The gospel spread through him to many people and many cities, and he could overcome the world with his faith in the Risen Christ. Here we learn that even though we are hard-pressed on every side and confront harsh difficulties every day when we believe in the Risen Christ, we can find the power to preach the gospel boldly and to raise Jesus’ disciples in any situation.
When we look at verses (16-18), “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Paul’s conclusion was that because Jesus was in his heart, he did not lose heart. Outwardly his body was wasting away, as is true for all of us. As we get older, we cannot move as fast as we did in the past. Gray hair begins to come out of our scalps. Our eyesight becomes dim. We lose strength in our bodies. As time goes by we suffer from all kinds of maladies that come from aging such as arthritis, back pain, memory loss, and eventually we die. We are wasting away gradually. It is very natural and no one can stop it. But those who live by faith are being renewed inwardly day by day. How is it possible?
Jesus living in their hearts heals them and restores them in the image of God day by day. Instead of getting older, they get newer and newer every day until the full image of Christ is restored in their inner beings. When we meditate on the word of God, the word of God controls our mind and heart and enables us to live powerful lives. When we hold on to Jesus, inwardly we can be renewed day by day. But many people will waste away as time goes by, not only outwardly but inwardly. They lose their first love and lose vision. They lose pioneering spirit and become powerless like old wineskins. We should be renewed inwardly even though we are wasting away outwardly. It is by the power of Jesus. We are like jars of clay. We are fragile and vulnerable to Satan’s temptations. We have no power to overcome the difficulties that confront us. But when we have the treasure, who is Jesus in our hearts, we can overcome all kinds of difficulties and live a victorious life.
In this part, we can find another secret to living a victorious life. When we consider Paul’s sufferings, they were enough to crush anyone. Simply bearing these sufferings without giving up was a great victory. Yet Paul went beyond this. Verse 13 says, “It is written: ‘I believed; therefore, I have spoken.” Paul had spoken the word of God boldly in the midst of hardships. The gospel spread through him to many people and many cities, and he could overcome the world with his faith in the Risen Christ. Here we learn that even though we are hard-pressed on every side and confront harsh difficulties every day when we believe in the Risen Christ, we can find the power to preach the gospel boldly and to raise Jesus’ disciples in any situation.
When we look at verses (16-18), “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Paul’s conclusion was that because Jesus was in his heart, he did not lose heart. Outwardly his body was wasting away, as is true for all of us. As we get older, we cannot move as fast as we did in the past. Gray hair begins to come out of our scalps. Our eyesight becomes dim. We lose strength in our bodies. As time goes by we suffer from all kinds of maladies that come from aging such as arthritis, back pain, memory loss, and eventually we die. We are wasting away gradually. It is very natural and no one can stop it. But those who live by faith are being renewed inwardly day by day. How is it possible?
Jesus living in their hearts heals them and restores them in the image of God day by day. Instead of getting older, they get newer and newer every day until the full image of Christ is restored in their inner beings. When we meditate on the word of God, the word of God controls our mind and heart and enables us to live powerful lives. When we hold on to Jesus, inwardly we can be renewed day by day. But many people will waste away as time goes by, not only outwardly but inwardly. They lose their first love and lose vision. They lose pioneering spirit and become powerless like old wineskins. We should be renewed inwardly even though we are wasting away outwardly. It is by the power of Jesus. We are like jars of clay. We are fragile and vulnerable to Satan’s temptations. We have no power to overcome the difficulties that confront us. But when we have the treasure, who is Jesus in our hearts, we can overcome all kinds of difficulties and live a victorious life.
Prayer
Lord, help us to be renewed in our hearts and minds by meditating on the word of God.
Thought for the Day
Trust the Lord to use your trials for your good and the good of others, as the pathway to a greater manifestation of the life of your powerful, resurrected, loving Savior.
AnishThomas
Greater Washington MTC
Lord, help us to be renewed in our hearts and minds by meditating on the word of God.
Thought for the Day
Trust the Lord to use your trials for your good and the good of others, as the pathway to a greater manifestation of the life of your powerful, resurrected, loving Savior.
AnishThomas
Greater Washington MTC