Led a devotional for the team this morning on 2 Corinthians 4, about how much I love to serve. As much as serving can make me alive, it can drain me because I feel like I HAVE to serve for the Lord through this work. Or I hide, and forget that sometimes real service is living and speaking the gospel – the treasure we hold. This treasure is in jars, loved and created, continually moulded by the creator God. However, they were made for the treasure we hold. So often I have a high view of myself. I am appreciating being able to laugh at myself more, and having people around me who either are actually holier than me, or who are able to point out my weaknesses; loving me into change.
So often we focus on the jar, forgetting how priceless the treasure is. This treasure is the gospel; the power of God and is able to change us, but more importantly change the people and situations around us. I was reminded by a fellow brother, even on our first meeting today, that we should not hold onto this treasure but share it with those who don't know.
There is hope. God will do things without us, so I need to be where he is, doing his work, and not overworking in the areas he has not told me to overwork in. It does not depend on us, and so God will work despite of our weaknesses. It is not about us, and so we remain jars of clay, whilst God's glory goes ahead of us and brings life. We have to give God space, so that he can work, and we too can be most effective.
Therefore, I will not stop serving, but with renewed passion will serve well – yes physically, but also give leadership to people, help develop people and most of all put myself in a position of weakness, so that when I am afraid to talk to new people and share God's treasure, I humble myself and ask for God's glory to shine through.
