Dear Miss Gertie,

My daughter has a plaque in her home that reads, “Jesus knows me, this I love.”  This turn of a phrase that is both catchy and true reminds us that God’s knowing us fully doesn’t keep Him from loving us fully…. mistakes and all.

When I reflect on many years of teaching and serving the Lord in Christian education, my reflections are flooded with precious memories, wonderful people, difficult challenges, lots of learning, a few achievements, some failures, activities, activities, and more activities, and yes, even a few regrets.   Why with all the wonderful memories do the failures stick out like a wrinkled brown bag next to a line of shiny brand-new superhero lunch boxes?   It is just like our enemy, who is a liar and accuser, to tempt us to dwell on the failures and regrets on the outside instead of the love and forgiveness of God on the inside.  Thankfully, the gospel changes that, Miss Gertie!    God knows our hearts, its desires and deceitfulness.  He knows our frames, its weaknesses, and failures.  He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14).   It is just like our Savior, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life to overcome the evil one and assure us that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).  

God, our Redeemer, took our dust and in turn fashioned us as an earthen vessel (2 Corinthians 4:7a).  We are frail and inadequate, literally a clay pot.  But God chooses to put within our earthen vessel a priceless treasure.  He puts within us Jesus Christ so “that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:7).   Christ dwells in our earthen vessels to live His life through us, even in our vulnerable humanity.  Our dustiness (Psalm 113:14).

You will have many blessed days of service as unto the Lord.  They will be fulfilling, joyful, and rewarding.  This is a time to be thankful and to allow Christ to live His life through you in His humility.     And please don’t shoot the messenger, but you will have challenging days that are discouraging, frustrating, and wearisome as well.  This is also a time to be thankful and to continue allowing Christ to live His life through you in His humility because now you know the secret.  The treasure is not the lunchbox but the delicious meal inside.   God has fashioned you as His vessel, and He has placed within you the treasure of His Son and the gospel.  So, when failure comes, the hard days, and even the regrets, when your wrinkled brown bag is soggy and torn, always remember the treasure inside . . . Jesus knows you, and this you can love.  

Walk worthy.

Your Friend in Christ,

Kathy