By Such Stripes Are We Healed
by Jack Shaver
©The United Church of Canada, 1985
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 0-88622-196-X
7M/12/85/APL
Used with Permission
Wednesday of Holy Week
Treasures in clay pots
II Corinthians 4: 1-11
What a relief to find our Christian salvation described in ways that are identifiable, now and again, with our experience. Who is not drawn by the Gospel and at the same time frightened by it? The news is good that the "God who said 'Let light shine out of darkness' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ." It is good news that the crucified one is a window through which we behold the one we wrestle with in the dark of existence. It's good news that God is love. The prospect also frightens us.
I remember once reflecting with an alcoholic on the meaning of the gospel. Her alcoholism had contributed to the breakup of her marriage. Her husband 's religion did not permit him to divorce her. She longed for a home and family, but was not permitted to have them. We recalled that the Bible says "God is love" and that this meant that as long as there was loving to do her life could be full and overflowing, no matter what else it was missing. At this point the woman said, "Jack, when I am on the verge of believing that, I panic."
Drawn as we are to the gospel, we don't ever quite trust it. We don't believe it totally. As the gospel appears in our lives it is fragmented.
It is good to see it described that way in the Bible.
In today's reading from second Corinthians, Paul not only reminds us that we have this treasure in earthen vessels but also assures us that it is for a good reason: "We have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us."
A mighty contribution to our present human predicament is the rush by humans to save the world, each of us with a righteousness of our own. Frightful harm is done to people daily in the name of love. The most horrendous things can be done by humans in the name of God 's love. If we are not constrained by the fact that we are earthen vessels of the gospel we can be of enormous harm to others. We also cut them off from the power of God. If we assume that we can be unbroken manifestations of the gospel we usurp God's place. What lets us be windows to God's own love, instead of simply our own, is that we don't call attention to ourselves. Or even if we lean on each other's love and forgiveness, we lean on a broken reed. We are setting each other up for a betrayal.
We have the treasure of the gospel in earthen vessels. It's a good thing, too.
Offering
Receive, O Sovereign One, our offering.
We bring before you what we treasure.
We lift up into the light of your countenance all that is precious to us.
We wave before you all that we spend our lives on.
Receive, O God, the offering of our lives broken as they are.
Our zeal to be blameless is more precious to us than the coming of your kingdom, our innocence, than your love of the world. We cling to our good works and our bad consciences as if they could save us.
If we really offered these up, could you use them in the salvation of the world? If we truly let go of our treasures, could you use them to bless the world?
Work an acceptable offering in us.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen