We carry the treasure of the Gospel in a fragile human-jar. This way only God gets credit for his power at work inside us. This explains why we’re not completely undone when life gets really hard. We get perplexed but we don’t despair. When we’re persecuted, we don’t believe it means God has abandoned us. We suffer a lot and may die, but we won’t be destroyed. Jesus died for us, and we now die to ourselves. As we do, more of Jesus’ beauty is revealed to us and through us. Paraphrase of 2 Cor. 4:7–10
Lord Jesus, this week I realized I have OPSD, not PTSD. Indeed, I have Ongoing Political Stress Disorder. I get triggered, anxious, angry and easily default to living like a spiritual orphan. That is, like someone who doesn’t have God as my Father, you as the reigning King of the cosmos, citizenship in heaven as my primary nationality, and life in the new heaven and new earth as my great hope. That’s not how I want to live.
Jesus, in the coming days, weeks, and months, help me and my friends be far more “smitten” with you than stressed about life. In your perfect timing, the Gospel will win the day, the nations, and the cosmos. Help us accept our jar-of-clay-ness and your altogether awesomeness. Free us to crave the revelation of your beauty more than the outcome of any election.
Whether our Father had placed us in the Apostle Paul’s Rome, Corrie ten Boom’s Germany, or Hudson’s Taylor’s China, it’s always been his will for us to love and trust you. Jesus, you are the Way, Truth, and Life—our perfect righteousness and hope of glory. We are to seek first your Kingdom and return, love both our neighbors and our enemies, be concerned but not fearful, and 1000 times more kind than mean. So Very Amen.