Called to Suffer and Rejoice -Part1

July 1999

Called to Suffer and Rejoice

II Cor. 4:7-18

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

What is this TREASURE that I have in my frail, weak and decaying, earthen body? My TREASURE is the KNOWledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, as the previous verse says. Jesus, YOU are a picture of God's GLORY to me. KNOWING YOU and Your power is a great treasure! As my body gets weaker and weaker, may the display of Your power and Your glory be stronger and stronger! "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory (REJOICE) in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (II Cor. 12:9a) Lord, when I
REJOICE in my illness and EMBRACE my sufferings (not only with a song and a smile, but most importantly, with my HEART), Your POWER will REST upon me. This is awesome, and this is what I long for!…

"That the power of Christ may rest upon me!"…

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Lord, may I, like Paul, be able to say these things! When "trouble" comes in the form of symptoms in the midst of other troubles – (troubles on every side) – or when fever or other "scary" symptoms manifest themselves which make me wonder if I will need an antibiotic
or a trip to the hopital, Your grace will CALM me in Your arms of love so that I am not distressed. When I am perplexed and "feel at a loss" to know what's going on with my body, I will not be UTTERLY at a loss! Your grace will keep me from despair.

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Some "cut me off" because they don't know how to deal with my illness any longer; some don't believe my illness is REAL; some believe I'm staying at home and just making up excuses to be unsociable; some make me feel like I'm such a BURDEN. When I feel very persecuted and LONELY, yet I shall KNOW that I am NOT FORSAKEN – for You are here
with me, dear Lord Jesus! When I am terribly CAST DOWN and depressed, still I am NOT DESTROYED. When You are here, there is always HOPE! I have not come to physical death yet, and even if I do someday soon, may I remember the verses in the next chapter and know that spiritual death can never come to me because I am IN CHRIST! So I shall NEVER be DESTROYED! Hallelujah!