25 Sep October 18th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

FROM GOD  

2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

The men who serve in the Holy Ministry are honored for their service in the Church.  They put in long hours, days, weeks, months, and years.  A faithful pastor is to be valued.  Thanks be to God for creating the holy office in which they serve.

Yet, St. Paul says that he, not only a pastor but an Apostle is nothing more than a clay pot.  The Greek word used here for clay pot refers to a common pot made out of clay that has been baked.  This pot is used for common, everyday needs like carrying water and holding other daily necessities.  It is fragile and can easily be broken.

Paul’s point is that physically a pastor is nothing to write home about.  He is fragile and frail as are all other human beings.  What makes him unique is what God does in him and through him.  God fills the pastor who is nothing more than a clay pot with a treasure that is more valuable than diamonds and rubies, gold and silver and all other rare and valuable things on this earth.  He fills pastors with His grace to share it with  sinners in need of it.

Paul writes in such a way to emphasize there is nothing special about the pastor as a person.  He is like all other human beings made of dust and to dust he will return.  The reason God fills the pastor with His grace is to show it is by God’s power his ministry accomplishes its work of spreading the gospel through which the Holy Spirit then works faith, life, and salvation.

The power that comes out of your pastor comes to you because God has placed it in him.  It is literally then, the power of God, not of your pastor.  This power works its wonders driving away all the forces of evil, removing all sin from the life of the hearers of the gospel and providing what all the members of the pastor’s congregation need to fill them with the love of God in Christ Jesus their Lord.

Your pastor is God’s vessel which He uses to provide you with all your body and soul needs to get you through this earthly life to the life Jesus has prepared for you with Him for all eternity.  The power that comes through your pastor is of God, not his own.

Prayer:  O Lord, fill my pastor everyday with Your grace that through his ministry I be filled with it too.  Amen.

Send, O Lord, Your Holy Spirit

On Your servant (my pastor) now, we (I) prayer;

Let him prove a faithful shepherd That no lamb be led astray.

Your pure teaching to proclaim, To extol Your holy name,

And to feed Your lambs, dear Savior,

Make his aim and sole endeavor.

You, O Lord, Yourself have called him

For Your precious lambs to care;

But to prosper in his calling, He the Spirit’s gifts must share.

Give him wisdom from above, Fill his heart with holy love;

In his weakness, Lord, be near him,

In his prayers, Good Shepherd, hear him.

Help, Lord Jesus, help him nourish  All our children with Your Word

That in fervent love they serve You Till in heav’n their song is heard.

Boundless blessings, Lord bestow On his faithful toil below

Till by grace to him be given His reward, the crown of heaven.

(LSB 681)