God uses what you are NOT.

I was on my way to preach about preaching. It’s funny, preachers don’t preach a lot about preaching. We preach about The Supper, about Singing, about Prayer, and about the Offering, but not about preaching. I suppose it’s because we fear it may seem self-serving or perhaps we may think that some may think that we think we have it figured out and our style, approach, manner, or method is how it has to be done to be done right. So, many are hesitant to preach about preaching. 

I woke up early with 2 Corinthians 4:7 on my mind. “we have this treasure in earthen vessels…” I was thinking about how earthen some of us are, some of us are more clayish than others. Aware that we are not the “gold” or “silver” vessel of 2 Timothy 2, we’re baked dirt, fraught with flaws, brimming with blemishes, and sometimes just plain cracked. And we know it, and feel it. It makes us wonder if we can ever be effective, if we should throw in the towel, like whoever stood in this place before was superior to us and whoever follows will bless more than we. You second guess your second guesses. We know our inadequacies and insecurities. You see those perfect sermon, outline, presentation, diction, Greek-spouting guys with every hair and every word in place, and you’re not envious, or hating on them, but it does make you shrink in even more. 

If that’s you, may I share some good news with you today? Your imperfections are actually a part of God’s plan. Read on in 2 Corinthians 4 “…that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” It’s God’s intent to prove He’s the source and those things you are beating yourself up over for being “not,” He is using to prove to others who He is! God’s not justifying sin nor is He giving you a pass to not put forth your best effort. But for those of us who often feel we don’t measure up (and I imagine that is most of us), you’re gonna be OK. God’s using you to show His grace, His mercy, His perfection, His gifts to others. 

Thank you for letting God use you!