The Seriousness of Our ministry...

 2 Corinthians 4:1
  1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 

I woke up today acutely aware of how blessed I have been through the 44 years God has given me. My mind raced back to the varied seasons God allowed me to go through and my heart lept with gratitude for God's hand upon me through the many ups and downs of life even before I knew Him. As I meditate on the goodness of the Lord, the phrase "jars of clay" came to mind. So I searched the Scripture and found the phrase nestled in 2 Corinthians 4. So today I start my meditation on this chapter, commencing from verse 1.

Verse 1. "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry: we do not lose heart." What ministry was Paul talking about here. We find an answer to this query from chapters 2-3. In 2 Cor.2:14-16. Paul talks about the the nature of this ministry. In verse 14 he thanked God who "always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him". The image that Paul alludes to in this passage was the Roman triumph which was a "victory parade for a concquering army and its leader. Both victors and captives were part of the triumphal procession, and both groups could smell the fragrance of burning spices which accompanied the parade. The aroma however, meant something different to the two groups. To one it meant triumph and to the other it meant death. In the same way the fragrance of Christ (the gospel) is to those who are perishing an aroma of death, leading to death, for it signifies and leads to their ultimate judgment. Those who are being saved find the knowledge of Christ to be an aroma of life leading to life, for it signifies life now and leads to life eternal." (Spirit Filled Bible).

As believers we need to be aware and be reminded often of the seriousness of the ministry God has entrusted to us. Preaching the gospel of Christ is a matter of life and death to those around us. In a sense we can say we have in our hands the key to the eternal destiny of souls around us.

Realizing the seriousness of the nature of Christian ministry, Paul says, "we do not lose heart". Indeed we cannot lose heart. We have to keep pressing forward knowing that the eternity of those around us depend on it. Every time there is a forest fire in California, I watch on television the tireless and persevering work of firefighters who give themselves no rest to control the spread of fire and eventually extinguish it. The amount of money that goes to these endeavors, the sweat and blood that firefighters have shed to save many homes, families and other properties from further damage is considerable. Mark 8:36 says "what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Implicit in this passage is the truth that before God's eyes a man's soul carries more weight than all the wealth of this world. The salvation of a human soul is so precious before God that..."there is great rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents"(Lk.15:9). A firefighter won't sit around when there is fire creating havoc. Similarly may we not give ourselves rest until the name of Jesus is known in the hearts of every man knowing that Jesus is truly the ONLY WAY to abundant life.May we be willing to invest in His Kingdom work and spend ourselves so God's glory may be known among the peoples of the earth.

Lord thank you for entrusting to me this ministry of letting your good news be known among the nations. Help me dear Lord to not lose heart. Help me to be appreciative of this thrust you have given me and to persevere in this call. Continue to lead me that I may accomplish the good works you have prepared for me from the foundations of the earth. Amen


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