Making A Trade

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

I know, kind of a long passage today, but as I was reading my Bible this morning, this is what stuck out to me. I think it sums up pretty well what's going on with me. First of all, I was told yesterday that I was handling what's going on with me "like a champ", I couldn't take the credit for it,I said that there was no way I could have handled it on my own, I had to let God take care of it for me, I still do. I know that hard times are coming, I'm starting rehab tomorrow and I'm sure that's not going to be a piece of cake.

But I think that leads well into the next part of the verse, hard pressed, but not crushed, persecuted, not abandoned, struck down, not destroyed. Struck down, but not destroyed, that brings on a whole new meaning for me now. I would never claim to compare what I've gone through with what a soldier has gone through, but the end result is similar, a limb lost. I have the utmost respect for those in the armed forces and they have my eternal gratitude, but s doctor told me that, thanks to the way, there have been great advances in prosthetic devices.

I am struck down, I am not destroyed. I am hobbled, but I'm not down for the count. One of the lessons I taught a few weeks ago at the school I was able to to to, was titled "TKO or Te Deum?" And it essentially boiled down to this question...when something bad happens, are you going to let it get you down and let it stop you in your tracks, or are you going to give it ti God? Te Deum is an ancient Latin song of praise to God, literally translated it means "you of God's" That's what I'm choosing to do, I'm giving this to God, don't ever let me forget that.

I'm going to break from sharing hymn lyrics to sharing a worship song, and I think it's obvious what one I'm going for..."Trading My Sorrows"

I'm trading my sorrows
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

Chorus:
And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength

Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning

This song has new meaning for me now, I've sung it a ton of times, but I think now I will sing it with a whole new perspective.

Let me end with the last few verses of that chapter in 2 Corinthians...
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."