We Are More Than People...

My sister's family went from the house of mourning on Thursday

 to the house of joy on Friday,

My brother-in-law, Father of the bride, 

brother of the man laid to rest the day before

and minister in the Waterloo Markham Mennonite church

opened the wedding service with this verse,

'This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it!'

Psalm 118;24

My niece's wedding yesterday was beautiful.

The bittersweet blend of joy and sorrow

touched the ceremony, rich with profound exhortation from God's Word

reminding us of His order in both marriage and life.

My Uncle, during the ceremony, recounted a day when he went to the clinic

to find out if the cancer-treatments he received helped .

When the Doctor said, 'you are a new man. your cancer is gone!'

his emotional response was 'you have been a vessel in the hands of the Lord. God is good'

Then he went on to say he couldn't help but wonder if his response would have been the

same with a different result. The point he wanted to emphasize is that God is good all the time

in sickness and in health, in joy or grief 

and to remind the young bride and groom (and all of us)

to try to remember this truth, no matter what life brings!

The words 'you have been a vessel in the hands of the Lord' struck a chord!

How often we buzz and bumble through our days

forgetting we are vessels in the hands of the Lord!

When Ananias was called to go and baptize Saul he was confused,

because Saul had persecuted Christians!

 The Lord reminded him in Acts 9:15-16

“Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name 

before Gentiles, kings, and the children[c] of Israel. 

For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Paul, not long after encouraged and exhorted 

believers in the church of Corinth with this reminder;

2 Cor.4:7-11

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, 

to show that the surpassing power 

belongs to God and not to us. 

 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not driven to despair; 

 persecuted, but not forsaken; 

struck down, but not destroyed; 

 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, 

so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 

 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, 

 that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Lots to ponder as we return to what could seem quite commonplace

if we lose sight of who/what we are!

We are more than jars filled with beans and pickles, 

hallelujah! 😊

We are more than people born to life’s demands

We are vessels cradled in God’s faithful hands

Belief and repentance call us to obey

Where more than allegiance fills these jars of clay

An unfailing treasure; God’s surpassing pow’r

Cascades without measure through man’s fading flow’r

Through Soul’s transient trestles, pours faith’s glorious laud

To we, chosen vessels in the hands of God

Then what holy, true love instills commonplace

As we bear the call of sinners saved by grace

Praise the name of Jesus; by his darkest hour

We are vessels filled with God’s surpassing pow’r

Mercy’s priceless measure meets us where we are

To pour His good treasure into faith’s clay jar

© Janet Martin