Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Embracing Weakness, Receiving Strength  

Good News: Life through Death  
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12  

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and  not from 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 4:7-9)  

In this passage, Paul reveals a profound truth: the Good News of life through death. We are like  fragile jars of clay, carrying the treasure of God's love within us. Though we face trials and  difficulties, God's power sustains us, turning our weaknesses into vessels of His strength. Life  can often feel overwhelming, leaving us feeling like the clay jars that are easily broken by the  challenges we encounter. But it is precisely in our weaknesses that God's power shines the  brightest. We are not meant to rely solely on our own strength, for the power that sustains us  comes from the one who created us. 
When we face afflictions and uncertainties, we may feel defeated and confused. Persecution and  challenges might bring us down, but we are not forsaken, nor are we destroyed. As followers of  Christ, we carry within us the death of Jesus, embracing the truth that His life is also manifested  
in us. It is in our moments of surrender, when we let go of our selfish ambitions and worldly  desires, that we make room for the transformative power of God's love and grace. When we carry  the death of Jesus in our hearts, we become vessels through which His life is manifested.The  Good News is that through Jesus' death and resurrection, we are given the promise of eternal life.  Through His death on the cross, we find forgiveness and redemption. Our old self, burdened with  sin, dies, and we are resurrected as new creations in Christ, filled with His love and grace.  
We often desire a life free from pain and struggle, but this passage reminds us that it is in those  very moments of weakness that we witness God's power and grace most profoundly We should  learn to embrace our weaknesses. Instead of trying to hide or deny our weaknesses, let us  embrace them and bring them before God. Let us embrace our fragility and see it not as a  weakness but as an opportunity for God's strength to be revealed in us.  

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You with our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, knowing that  Your strength is made perfect in them. Help us to embrace the Good News of life through death,  surrendering to Your transformative power. May our lives bear much fruit, reflecting Your love  and grace to the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.  

Thought for the Day
"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a  single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." - John 12:24  

Sherin Abraham  
St. Andrews MTC, Yonkers NY

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