It is fascinating looking back on what was important to me when I was a kid. As I look back at some of the things that were important to me, I have to laugh in amusement. You see, with growing up comes maturity. As an adult, I have a greater understanding of what is really important in life. Even more, as a follower of Christ, I continue to learn with each passing year that God and His kingdom are the only eternal things, and that is what truly matters. I am sure that as I continue to get older and continue to grow in my relationship, this understanding will grow, too. With this growth comes a desire to live for the things that really matter, for the things that are eternal.
The apostle Paul reminds us that we are not living for this world, but instead something far greater. He writes in 2 Corinthians 4 about facing persecution and suffering, but his words are applicable in all situations. He says, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them that will last forever” (verse 17). What Paul is teaching here is that this world is temporary. Even the worst troubles are temporary and will soon fade away. In light of these things, Paul teaches that there is a better way than living for this temporary world. Instead of living for this world, he writes, “we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (verse 18). In this verse, Paul calls all believers, including us, to stop living for this world and instead live for eternal things: God and His kingdom.
The question for us today is, what are we going to live for? Will we live for the world and the things of the world, whether that be wealth, status, or even focusing solely on our challenging circumstances? Or, will we look beyond the world and live for eternal things, including God, His kingdom, and making Him known throughout the world? Only one of those options will last forever, and that is God’s kingdom. Let’s look to the eternal things that will never fade away.
We know and understand that this world is not our home and that we live for eternal things that will never pass away, but sometimes we need a reminder. There are so many things in the world that compete for our time, attention, and affection. If we are not careful, these things can distract us from living for the eternal things that are truly important. One way we can combat these distractions is by memorizing Scripture. When we memorize Scripture, our hearts and minds are oriented around what truly matters and what is truly important. Take time today to memorize 2 Corinthians 4:18. As you memorize this verse, reflect on its words and reflect on the eternal things of Christ that will last forever.
Treasure in Fragile Clay Jars
Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
