Christ Living in these Mortal Jars of Clay

Christ, Living in These Mortal Jars of Clay

Yesterday I was journaling and simply penned something by God’s inspiration that for me, made perfect sense.  If one is striving, they are always deprived of something!  Think about it.

Flesh and blood trying to produce always experiences dissatisfaction, because it’s NEVER enough.  It either wasn’t good enough to others or themselves, OR left a craving for more.

It is the same way with eating something of dense nutrition versus empty calories, as they call it.  Eat a bag of potato chips and like the guy says, “you can’t eat just one!”  But eat whole grain piece of bread with protein, and there’s no craving – there’s tranquility - SATISFACTION.

This is why God teaches us to know Christ.  He is the Bread of Life.  He is also the Tree of Life.  Teach a seminar on flesh and blood producing righteousness, achieving spiritual success by their effort, and by the time you end the seminar, you’ve been sold another seat for the next seminar!

But teach faith in the Son of God inside the person’s heart – teach them the meaning of feasting on Him as Life abundantly – HOW HE’s going to produce through them each and every day and the spirit is at rest, experiencing NO DEPRIVATION!  Only ANTICIPATION and HOPE in Him and His life!

The Bread of Life, who is Christ, is satisfying.  He does not leave us in despair.  Our efforts though really are bankrupt.  Well… not necessarily in cooking a good meal, having all kinds of outward successes, playing tennis, etc. People are pretty successful with talents and these natural abilities.

BUT truly when it comes to a real fruit of righteousness in our lives, have we not all experienced failure, frustration and despair?  This is because life and righteousness can only come from one Person:  Jesus Christ in you.

I see more and more it is this Living One, Jesus who wants to be my all.  He wants me to know Him and His life in all things, inwardly and outwardly.   There is no greater joy.  I love the song, “Learning to Lean.”  It goes like this:  “Learning to Lean, Learning to Lean, Learning to Lean on Jesus – finding more power than I’ve ever dreamed – I’m learning to lean on Jesus!”

In closing, imagine going to the grocery store one day, walking down the aisle – ALL the jars burst out in song:  “My jar’s better than your jar….”  

When you go shopping, do you shop for jars?  Or do you shop for the contents contained in the jar?  Have you checked out the ingredients in those jars to see if you want to purchase it?  We all have.  I’ve never known anyone who purchased all their items by simply how the jar looked.  Yes, it’s nice to have wonderful contents in a pretty jar, BUT it’s not so nice to have a pretty jar with AWFUL CONTENTS!

The point is this:  we are not to compare our jars and hold one another in esteem simply because of our hair color, personality, talents, etc.  We can enjoy them, yes, but our real connection is that we are partakers together of the SAME CONTENTS, the Lord Jesus Christ within our hearts. 

We all fellowship with Him, trusting in Him to produce a life worthy of His kingdom.  Our hearts can truly know when we are enjoying Him and have ceased to strive.  His precious Holy Spirit teaches us.  More and more I am coming to realize as I know Christ as my Life, my all – even my human abilities take on different meaning and richness.  Why?  Because I am knowing Him as life, my all in ALL things.

 “Thank you Father, for you dwell in these mortal jars of clay, through your One Holy Spirit.  It is indeed all because of your Son’s death on the cross, His burial and resurrection, of which you have made us a part.  Now we are part of Him, Father, joined together by one Spirit.  It is all your work in us, from start to finish!  Amen.”  Phil 1:6

Sharing Christ with you,

Sue Gaither