TREASURE

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 "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."

Treasure. According to The New Strong's Dictionary of Complete Bible Words, treasure (in the context of these verses) comes from the Greek word, thesauros, meaning a deposit, i.e.wealth:-treasure.

I came across these verses a couple of months ago. I think it was one of those mornings, where I just sort of flipped through my Bible, not really looking for anything in particular, but hoping for something profound. And the heading for the fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians seemed to bounce off the page. Now the idea that Christians are "clay", God is "the potter", and the process of life in this spinning world is the "wheel", is not especially profound. What was profound to me was the idea that the "treasure" is God's hand(s); not just shaping, but supporting, sustaining, and sometimes resisting.

Bear with me while I give you a little art lesson in pottery. I so loved the classes I took back in high school. It has been awhile, but I rather enjoyed refreshing my own memory! Okay. The very first step in throwing on the wheel, is to dress the part. Maybe God would wear a spotless, white robe for the occasion, but I rather like to imagine Him in some baggy coveralls. Anyway, then the potter chooses his piece of clay. The size and shape are sort of irrelevant, since, after all, it is just dirt. What makes it special is what the potter does with it. Now, the potter throws the clay on the wheel and begins to center it (let's think of that, as the moment when a person realizes that the Holy Spirit has been drawing him to Himself and accepts salvation through God's son, Jesus.) This step in pottery and in life is the most important. What follows though, is what thrills my heart!

Once the clay (or the person) is centered, the potter (God) inserts first, his thumbs and then his hand. The treasure!! When I think of a vessel on a potter's wheel, this is what I picture. And what makes it so neat, is that his other hand is on the outside of the vessel working in perfect unison, in perfect synchronization with the hand that is inside the vessel. Throughout the process of creating a vessel, the clay can take on many different shapes. You see the process is different for every vessel (every person). Certain pressure, certain events, certain elements of life affect the process. And without the "treasure" of the potter's hand in the vessel (in us), it would certainly be destroyed.

This past summer, I experienced a series of events, so hard, so perplexing, so humbling, and so devastating, that I can honestly say that I am not the same person I used to be. My "shape" is forever changed, and I believe that that is a wonderful thing! An amazing thing, in fact! That God can take such events and hold me from the inside out (and not just hold me, but continue to shape me), can only be explained as His all-surpassing power!!

So look back with me at the definition of treasure. God deposited Himself into me! He considered this lump of clay worthy of His investment-the wealth of Him! I am in awe! I am Pelos-a lump of clay!

Whatever it is that you face in your life, it has purpose. Either it is for the purpose of calling you to salvation or (if you have already received salvation), it is to continue to the process of sanctification-the state of purity. I pray that you are encouraged! I know I am! I would love to hear from you!