photo #8830338

"BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE" For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Corinthians 4:5-7)I was reading recently about when the world's largest diamond (108.3 carats) was presented to Queen Victoria of England in 1850. It was displayed against a simple black cloth inside a bullet-proof case in the Tower of London. The dark background brought out by contrast the diamond's dazzling glory.Folks, when I read that, I couldn't help but think about the above verses in 2nd Corinthians. As children of that Bright and Morning Star of ours, God has entrusted His most precious prize, His only Begotten Son in Whom He is well pleased, within each of us so that He might shine as the Light of the world thru you and me.To be sure, we were nothing in and of ourselves. Our own righteousness was as filthy rags. But we fell into His arms forever one day when hearing those Words, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18) And at that very moment, He placed within those earthen vessels of ours His dearest and most treasured Gift He had, "...the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."We are still like that dark background that's to show forth the dazzling beauty of our glorious Saviour. Friends, until He returns, let's continue on with that message of Salvation for every whosoever will, may come, and that we, as earthen vessels, we have this treasure to"... preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord;"