Struck Down, but Not Destroyed
So today was way less than ideal (but this is kind of becoming a trend around here lately...ideal has long left us!)
We woke up to our youngest having a fever (after our son had a fever the other day, we weren't surprised and thankful we had at least 24 hours without someone having a fever over our Easter Break)...and also our oldest who was coughing a bit, so it was a no brainer that we couldn't go to church. We were all pretty bummed, well not our youngest, she just wanted to be snuggled in mommy's lap-to which I gladly obliged. I admit, I was sad, disheartened and a bit deflated. Both Steve and I are weary of all the health issues our entire family has been facing for the past (well I don't even know how long anymore because it's been so long!) I was also a bit irritated this morning by the constant whining that was happening from all the little people and found myself apologizing a couple times for how I responded to their yucky behavior with my own yucky behavior. I just needed to hear a word from the Lord, I needed to know He is for me (for us) and that He has all things in control. And of all the days to be desperately seeking this-Resurrection Sunday-you would think I would just "know" it. But it was one of those moments where I was really struggling to know that He is, in fact, for us all the time! It sounds so weak to even admit that, but it's reality.
I encouraged Steve to still go to church without us, just only asked that I could get a shower before he left. So I started pleading with God for this word from Him. To speak to my heart...to remind me of truth. I felt a little less frustrated and found myself calming down from the storm I felt whirling inside of me. After getting dressed and coming downstairs, Steve was off. I decided that a moment of quite (like at least 15 minutes worth of silence) was needed from the kiddos and myself to "reset" and continue going with our day. Thankfully, they each found a book or puzzle and obliged without argument. So we sat in silence. Then we were able to "restart" the day (even though it was almost noon at this point). Olivia went down for a nap shortly thereafter and as I was getting lunch ready for me and the older two, these verses popped into my head. And this is where I knew that God was beginning to speak to me directly with that word I had pleaded for earlier...
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
If you read the verses prior and after these three verses, you see a bigger picture of what is happening here-bear with me-I know it's a long passage, but I encourage you to keep reading!
2 Corinthians 3:16-4:18
16But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
1Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
For all who are in Christ, we are being transformed into the image of God from one degree of glory to another, this is a process which is directed by God himself. This is great news! However, the process is not always as great (in my estimation). But, it is necessary! So we do not lose heart. We press on (in life here, good days and bad) to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord to a lost and dying world. And we will find ourselves afflicted, but not crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed! We carry within us the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested through us. The risen and reigning Lord of the entire universe, the one we focus on specifically today on Resurrection Sunday, will raise us up into His presence. What more could I ask for? Nothing! I should ask for nothing more. I should hope for nothing more. I should hope in Christ and in Christ alone. Because, and this is the best part, the light and momentary afflictions that we face are preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.
So as God is doing his work in my heart in that moment, my son grabs a piece of paper after he had finished his lunch and began to draw a picture of Jesus nailed to the cross. He put a smiley face on Jesus, which quickly triggered my daughter to jump in and say, "Isaac he wasn't happy, why did you put a smiley face on Jesus?" Then I jumped in and said, "well actually Karis, Jesus counted it joy to endure the cross. That's what the Bible tells us in Hebrews."
Hebrews 12:1-2
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
At this point, I just had to smile. Because the truth was saturating my desperate heart. And I couldn't be more thankful for how loving our Father in heaven is, to gently remind me of His never ending, go to whatever it takes (the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus) kind of love. The kind of love that transforms lives. The kind of love that is worth sharing to everyone we meet. So we can rest assured knowing that even if (and when) we are struck down, we will also not be destroyed, because we have a Savior who was struck down, but not destroyed. He conquered death, so that we can live in harmony with Him now and for all eternity!
I'm not sure where you find yourself today, but if you have experienced a day like we have, I encourage you to take heart and press into Jesus, He will meet you in whatever place you're in and give you what you need most, Himself.
We woke up to our youngest having a fever (after our son had a fever the other day, we weren't surprised and thankful we had at least 24 hours without someone having a fever over our Easter Break)...and also our oldest who was coughing a bit, so it was a no brainer that we couldn't go to church. We were all pretty bummed, well not our youngest, she just wanted to be snuggled in mommy's lap-to which I gladly obliged. I admit, I was sad, disheartened and a bit deflated. Both Steve and I are weary of all the health issues our entire family has been facing for the past (well I don't even know how long anymore because it's been so long!) I was also a bit irritated this morning by the constant whining that was happening from all the little people and found myself apologizing a couple times for how I responded to their yucky behavior with my own yucky behavior. I just needed to hear a word from the Lord, I needed to know He is for me (for us) and that He has all things in control. And of all the days to be desperately seeking this-Resurrection Sunday-you would think I would just "know" it. But it was one of those moments where I was really struggling to know that He is, in fact, for us all the time! It sounds so weak to even admit that, but it's reality.
 |
| No cute Easter outfits from our crew, just sickies and silly faces. |
I encouraged Steve to still go to church without us, just only asked that I could get a shower before he left. So I started pleading with God for this word from Him. To speak to my heart...to remind me of truth. I felt a little less frustrated and found myself calming down from the storm I felt whirling inside of me. After getting dressed and coming downstairs, Steve was off. I decided that a moment of quite (like at least 15 minutes worth of silence) was needed from the kiddos and myself to "reset" and continue going with our day. Thankfully, they each found a book or puzzle and obliged without argument. So we sat in silence. Then we were able to "restart" the day (even though it was almost noon at this point). Olivia went down for a nap shortly thereafter and as I was getting lunch ready for me and the older two, these verses popped into my head. And this is where I knew that God was beginning to speak to me directly with that word I had pleaded for earlier...
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
If you read the verses prior and after these three verses, you see a bigger picture of what is happening here-bear with me-I know it's a long passage, but I encourage you to keep reading!
2 Corinthians 3:16-4:18
16But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
1Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
For all who are in Christ, we are being transformed into the image of God from one degree of glory to another, this is a process which is directed by God himself. This is great news! However, the process is not always as great (in my estimation). But, it is necessary! So we do not lose heart. We press on (in life here, good days and bad) to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord to a lost and dying world. And we will find ourselves afflicted, but not crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed! We carry within us the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested through us. The risen and reigning Lord of the entire universe, the one we focus on specifically today on Resurrection Sunday, will raise us up into His presence. What more could I ask for? Nothing! I should ask for nothing more. I should hope for nothing more. I should hope in Christ and in Christ alone. Because, and this is the best part, the light and momentary afflictions that we face are preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.
 |
| Kind of hard to see the smiley face (because he colored in the face red to show he died). |
Hebrews 12:1-2
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
At this point, I just had to smile. Because the truth was saturating my desperate heart. And I couldn't be more thankful for how loving our Father in heaven is, to gently remind me of His never ending, go to whatever it takes (the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus) kind of love. The kind of love that transforms lives. The kind of love that is worth sharing to everyone we meet. So we can rest assured knowing that even if (and when) we are struck down, we will also not be destroyed, because we have a Savior who was struck down, but not destroyed. He conquered death, so that we can live in harmony with Him now and for all eternity!
I'm not sure where you find yourself today, but if you have experienced a day like we have, I encourage you to take heart and press into Jesus, He will meet you in whatever place you're in and give you what you need most, Himself.
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