lessons on a rainy summer morning and over a big cup of coffee

God's Word is alive and active. There are times when the Spirit draws me in to focus on certain passages and I thought I would share with you the recent drawings He has been pointing me to.

2 Corinthians 4

¹Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God,we do not lose heart. ²But we have renounceddisgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. ⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹²So death is at work in us, but life in you. ¹³Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. ¹⁶So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

There has been great encouragement in these words for the last 3 days. It describes the heart of Andrew and I right now (when Paul says "we" I feel as if Andrew and I are there writing with him). It is only by God's mercy and grace that we are able to live out the gospel to those around us. Only by His gift of grace do we live each day expectantly. Our time in Virginia has been challenging. There are times of heartache, disappointments, frustrations, ect BUT by the grace of God it has not (and will not) steal our joy or life! While times of hardship or difficulty may seem incompatible with a ministry led and directed by the Spirit of God, Andrew and I know this not to be true. It produces a life that is at work within us and energizes/fuels us daily and consistently. I love the honesty in Paul's words in verses 8 and 9. He tells it like it is and yet there is such life and hope in these words. This hope is what I understand so well. Being in such a demanding schedule and training is like living your life constantly "on call", always at the will of the Marine Corps...BUT (and PLEASE hear this loudly) we wouldn't have it any other way! We get thrown down, but we are not dead. We have frustrating times, but we have not lost hope. We are "perplexed, but not driven to despair." We truly are being renewed day by day. Constantly reminded that this place is not our home, yet the lessons we are learning through our external hardships are pushing us to see the eternal worth and significance. 2 Cor 4: 15 " For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God." While teaching Ephesians 2 this Sunday, our pastor said (in regards to our salvation) "if it is by the grace of God alone, it is to the glory of God alone." The applying works that I feel commanded to take away from Paul's words are simple....as grace is extended to me, give it freely to others so that all may give thanks to God for what He has graciously and mercifully shown us through His Son. It is humbling to allow God to be at work within us. I am thankful for what God is teaching me as we are in VA. I hope that I do not get in the way of what else He has to say.