We are the clay, You are the Potter. We are all the work of Your hand.
I have been reading through Jeremiah and the Lord has been speaking to me on the story of the potter and the clay. In Romans 9:19b the scripture reads "For who resists Gods will? (v20) But who are you O man to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
The clay is still made today the way it was back in the days of old. There is still the potter, the clay and the wheel. The potter uses the foot pedal (treadle) to make the wheel turn and control its speeds. He fashions the clay by his own hands. In Jeremiah 18 the Lord tells Jeremiah to go down to the Potters house and he will speak to him there. So he went to the potters house (chapter 18 v3) and he saw the potter working at his wheel. Jeremiah saw the clay being shaped and molded into a vessel. Here we see the first lesson that Jeremiah learned- God is the Potter and we are the clay, being made into a vessel for His purposes.
What's the second thing Jeremiah noticed? If there were any imperfections in the clay, the potter would crush the clay down into a lump and begin again making it into a vessel. How many times has the Lord seen my imperfections and had to crush me down and begin again? But what I love about this is that the Potter doesn't just throw out the clay and get some new clay- He just starts all over! When you feel the pressure of the Potters hand (and trust me, you will feel the pressure) do not resist it, but accept it. Then we can be a vessel used for His honor and His purposes.
The third thing that Jeremiah noticed was this. It was love behind the potters pressures. When the vessel was marred (blemished by injury; rough) the potter was capable of crushing it down, bringing it to nothing but a lump, and then molding it, shaping it again, and perhaps again and again and again- until at last, it fulfilled what God wanted. Look at this potter very closely, as He is at work in your life. You will see His hands and His feet that bear the nail prints, and that it is through His blood of the Potter Himself, that the vessel is being shaped into what He wants it to be.
What amazing lessons Jeremiah learned that day at the potters house. Remember, He has a purpose for you, and He will give you what you need to fulfill that purpose- No matter how many times He may have to start over again. It is His love for you that makes Him spend so much time working on you, His vessel.
(I have added a song called 'The Potters Hand' by Hillsong on my music player at the bottom of this page to go along with this blog post)
5 comments:
Thank you for sharing! I am so glad you have this blog going. What you write is a blessing for others to read.
Thank you so much! :}
I love that!! You are so good! Carin and I are signed up for your class and possibly Lori! Yeah!!! Happy Birthday soon :)
It was so good to reflect again on this passage after having been crushed so many times since the last time I looked at it. Thank you for allowing me to see it again in a new light. I wish I could sign up for your class, but I would have to get up too early to make the commute. ;)
Your such a great teacher Celeste!!! when reflecting on what you shared...I love that the molding is His job and our job is to with faith allow him to mold us and not mold ourselves with our limited perspective. Good stuff!
Love you!
~Ris
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