2 Corinthians 4:7 We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.
God creates humans from the dust of the earth, breakable and impoverished, then has the audacity to breath his presence into such vulnerable creatures. The contrast from dirt to that which is most sacred of all creation is profound.
That such creatures are blessed with the ability to fail most miserably yet somehow to survive is entirely attributed to God’s audacity. Looking around us, looking at ourselves, at how we treat others and our care of creation from which we are made, we hang our heads in shame.
Precisely because we have a realistic view of ourselves, Christ comes as one of us to give us a physical role model of what we were meant to be. We measure our distance from Christlikeness and must confess we have failed to be who and what we were created for. Our hope is to be found in Jesus.
We have not been given a series of absolutely fixed words by which to assess the validity of our ideas about God. But we have been given a role model in the person of Jesus who comes, not that we might go to heaven but that we might live to the full here on earth.
Belief in God is something beyond our comprehension; the presence of Christ is something tangible, someone we can model ourselves on, a way to being truly human.
The way forward: Love God and all God’s creation with your whole heart, mind and strength, and love yourself as you love your neighbour.
BECOME WHO YOU REALLY ARE!!!
With Grace and Peace all wrapped up in Love.