2 Timothy 2:20-21 “Now in a large house, there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if any man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master , prepared for every good work.”

I love these verses! The text is obviously admonishing us to cleanse ourselves and pursue God. He will cultivate His own qualities (in verse 22 “as we flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.”).

When I think “vessel”, I almost always think of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. Indy is after the “Holy Grail” and his father continually reminds him to believe in the unseen.

The scene where Indy looks about the room of gold and fancy cups to find the “Holy Grail” is powerful. He is frantically searching the room and whispering under his breath “cup of a carpenter, cup of a carpenter.” In the end, it is a COMMON, BROWN CUP that is supposedly the one the Master drank from.

If the legend of the “Holy Grail” was true, that is the way I would envision the cup of my simple, yet gloriously “ornate” Savior.

These verses make me think 3 things:

*I can be an “ornate” vessel because I am Christ’s.

*I can be simple because He was not showy, but made of substance, therefore useful.

*I can be gold because He has taught me perserverence.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE ALL THESE THINGS , YET WITHOUT COMPROMISE?

*ORNATE TO CHRIST, yet not to the world. Truly, the fruit of the Spirit is absolutely beautiful and if I Peter 3:3-5 is true, women are gorgeous by their works and not by their handbags and heels.

*SIMPLE…because our focus is on one Person CHRIST. If my focus is to know God better by reading His Word and asking His help to obey Him, then I am simple in my vision for my life. EVERYTHING else falls under this idea. I WANT TO BE SIMPLE.

*GOLD…I want to be gold when life is connected to trial. I want to be gold when it’s connected to HOW I SUFFER AND HOW I RESPOND. Tried and refined…(again I Peter 1:7)  MY  ”gold is imperishable and found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

By the power of the Spirit and the cleansing art of confession, we can be vessels useful to the Master –every day.

**It is a good thing I love to do dishes because I see this concept every day. Filthy vessels must be clean to serve to anyone. NONE OF US WOULD SERVE GOOD FOOD ON  DIRTY PLATES TO OUR CHILDREN!

A life-changing book for me is “Practicing the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. Talk about learning to serve joyously, full of faith, and focused on pleasing Christ. Truly, we get the BENEFITS and GOD gets the GLORY! How kind God is to give us this direction (the opposite of self) to being “USE-FULL”. How good He is to give us this admonition…that through HIM, we too can be vessels of HONOR.

It is the HANDS that hold the vessel that make it special. So it is with me and you. We may not feel beautifully “ornate” or delightfully “simple”. Today, we may not see ourselves as precious “gold”. BUT, HE IS AND THEREFORE ,WE ARE. He gives us Surpassing Value.

Love to you,

Tristie Fisher, 2009