Treasures In Jars Of Clay

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Striking is it not? Power. Power is something in one way or another we all aim to possess. The power to control relationships, the power to control jobs, the power to control circumstances.

This week I have grappled with the possession of power and control. My health, since this past December, has been assaulted by the harsh grip of mononucleosis. Many people do not understand the warfare that people with mono encounter every single day. Often I wonder whether I will ever be the same again. Will I wake up one morning and not have my muscles ache or be so tired that I cannot even move?

Now, that question is not to burden anyone or make people sorry for me. This question haunts me almost every day, but I want to direct your attention back to the verse I mentioned above. I Corinthians 4 discusses the treasure that I possess. That any believer in Christ possesses. The Gospel is our treasure. It is the light of hope. In the darkness of disease, I do not lose the hope of my eternal outcome. I am going to Heaven, people and that is only by the power of God! There is no suffering there and although here for a little while I am plagued by the tight grasp of mono and its varied symptoms, I have hope.

I have failed in several avenues of maintaining a positive attitude in spite of knowing my eternal outcome. I am no saint nor do I declare to be one. Ask any of my fellow interns or my boss’s and they will let you know that my state of being has caused many scares as well as them dealing with my periods of frustration and lack of thankfulness. But this week, with its challenges, has also been brimming with treasures and gifts. The next few paragraphs will give you a snapshot of what treasures I possess.

This is my dear friend Kara who I love and admire. She is one of my sweetest, most genuine friends and is one of my many treasures. I am very grateful for this lovely masterpiece right here!

I also must admit that I have not seen the Sound of Music in a very long time and this is one of my favorite pastime movies. It caused a familiar warm feeling of happiness to cover my heart.

Have I mentioned before how I enjoy the blessing of living with my host family? I cannot express it enough. Not just because they love and support me but they care about my spiritual well-being. These past two months have revealed some of my deepest struggles and unveiled the richest of gifts that I possess whether it be people or the beautiful snap shots of creation.

I want to leave you with one fond memory that I have of this past week. Dara, Ife, and I had the privilege of getting a sister photo shoot done by the lovely Dahlia Orth. Dahlia is extremely talented and has an eye for capturing precious moments. Below is just some samples of her work! https://www.facebook.com/dahliaorthphotos?fref=ts this is her link! Check her out!

I hope you all have had a fantastic Thursday! I hope that you seek to value the treasures you have been given. I will help you off with the first one. Oxygen. Don’t waste the priceless gift that allows you to live on this earth another day.