Earthen Vessels

“…in earthen vessels…” such a rich and picturesque phrase. i think of it often. I thought about it Thursday when one of our sweet ladies send me an email wanting to get together and talk about an issue she is struggling with anger and growing resentment and bitterness over.  She said: “I am dealing with a personal struggle, and I know you’ve been in a situation similar to mine.” As she unfolded her struggle I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving. For she had no idea that I had in fact struggled a very similar situation and had mishandled it.  Early on in the struggle I had allowed my attitude to “go south.”  Through some straight talk from some Christian brothers and some hard inter-flection (yes I made that word up) I saw what I was allowing the struggle to do to me and put the brakes on hard.  With God’s help I moved on and forward and became healthy spiritually again but it was not until I read my friends words that the following thoughts struck me: 

• One of the reasons we as ministers must guard our hearts, control our attitudes, reflect deeply instead of simply reacting naturally is that there will be people who will bring to us the very problems we have struggled with and we need to be in a position to help them through their struggle. So, in a sentence: deal with Life Issues so you will be ready to help other with their issues.
• And, again, this earthen vessel thing. We are not clergy in ivory towers nor are we monks in a monastery - we are ministers.  We are in this with our brothers and sisters. John Claypool would say that we are fellow strugglers. 

I hope as you pray tonight you will thank God for the joy of being able to minister to others from God’s Word and from the experiences He has seen you through. And thank God that His People so give you such an opportunity.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23).

“…in earthen vessels…” such a rich and picturesque phrase. i think of it often. I thought about it Thursday when one of our sweet ladies send me an email wanting to get together and talk about an issue she is struggling with anger and growing resentment and bitterness over.  She said: “I am dealing with a personal struggle, and I know you’ve been in a situation similar to mine.” As she unfolded her struggle I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving. For she had no idea that I had in fact struggled a very similar situation and had mishandled it.  Early on in the struggle I had allowed my attitude to “go south.”  Through some straight talk from some Christian brothers and some hard inter-flection (yes I made that word up) I saw what I was allowing the struggle to do to me and put the brakes on hard.  With God’s help I moved on and forward and became healthy spiritually again but it was not until I read my friends words that the following thoughts struck me: 

• One of the reasons we as ministers must guard our hearts, control our attitudes, reflect deeply instead of simply reacting naturally is that there will be people who will bring to us the very problems we have struggled with and we need to be in a position to help them through their struggle. So, in a sentence: deal with Life Issues so you will be ready to help other with their issues.
• And, again, this earthen vessel thing. We are not clergy in ivory towers nor are we monks in a monastery - we are ministers.  We are in this with our brothers and sisters. John Claypool would say that we are fellow strugglers. 

I hope as you pray tonight you will thank God for the joy of being able to minister to others from God’s Word and from the experiences He has seen you through. And thank God that His People so give you such an opportunity.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23).