A couple of weeks ago, our family attended the Selma area revival. I encourage you - if you've never been, to go to the next one. I promise that you will receive a blessing.
One particular night, we found ourselves sitting near the back, watching a video countdown at Selma Tabernacle Church of God. I don't know if you have seen one of these countdowns before, but they are especially helpful during the pre-service time. There's normally a video playing, with a digital clock counting backwards to zero. When the countdown ends, the congregation knows that the service is about to begin.
This night, the video was of a potter working at his wheel, creating something out of clay. Fascinated by the process, I watched intently, as the clock counted down from 5 minutes. The potter slowly and deliberately fashioned something that looked like a bowl out of the lump of clay that was on his wheel.
But all of the sudden, I got quite a surprise. With about 10 seconds left, the potter began to crush the bowl - or so I thought. It really stressed me out for about 2 seconds. "How could he do that? He's not going to have enough time to fix it!"
Okay, so I know I shouldn't be stressed out about those types of things, but I am the person who can't sit and enjoy watching television shows, because I'm always trying to figure out the ending! So, you see my dilemma. This wasn't working out, as I had decided that it should.
I was bummed. I really wanted to see the finished product. I wasn't ready for the video to end, picturing a smashed lump of clay on the screen. And then, lo and behold, all of the sudden, with about 4 seconds to go, I started seeing something else emerge from the potter's wheel. He wasn't smashing the clay vessel at all. He was using his hands to fashion it into something different.
What I had decided in my mind was a bowl, the potter knew was a pitcher. Imagine that...the potter created something different than what I had imagined he would. And the "kicker" - he knew it was going to be a pitcher all along.
So, this week, when I found myself in Jeremiah 18, I had a new appreciation for the following passage: The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear the words." Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. (vs. 1-4).
The vessel that Jeremiah saw was marred. It wasn't worth keeping, and yet, the potter could see potential. He saw what Jeremiah didn't. He saw a beautiful, useful piece of pottery, fashioned out of a pitiful, marred piece of dirt.
God used this visual to show Jeremiah about His own people. Sin had marred them. Sin had caused the people to be broken and useless. BUT God - don't you just love it when He shows up - showed Jeremiah what He could do in His people's brokenness. He showed Jeremiah that just as the potter had control over the clay, that He had control over those who held His name.
Fast forward to today...again - don't you just love it when He shows up - God is still in the Potter's business. He's still taking people that seem useless and marred and changing them into vessels of His glory. He's still molding and shaping lives to bring about His desires...His plans...as it seemed good to the potter to make.
Now, do we always see that? Do we always understand what He's doing? No. We think He's forming us into a bowl, when the whole time, He's making us into a pitcher - not something that holds water, but dispenses it...pours it forth. And sometimes, that process looks nothing like what we thought it should.
Take heart my friend - God knows what He's doing. God is still shaping you. He still has His firm, but gentle touch molding and contouring your life. My encouragement to you is be...pliable. Be flexible. Move when He says, Move. Bend when He whispers Bend. Yield when He says, Yield. The finished product might just surprise you!!!
Thank You, Jesus that You are still shaping and molding me...that You haven't given up on me...and that Your hands are always gentle - always loving - always perfect in Your creation. Mold me Lord, to be a vessel that You can use in Your plan for this world. Thank You for being the Potter. I am the clay, today, Lord. I submit to Your hands. I praise You, Jesus...praise You.
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