The Potter and the clay

"But now, O LORD, you are the Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand." (Isaiah 64:8)

The word potter means to form, to fashion

Formed

"Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." (Genesis 2:7)

"Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:7)

"Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: " I am the LORD, who made all things who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself..."

(Isaiah 44:24)

We all have been formed by the Creator of all things! He breathed human life into existence. We are His workmanship; designed in His image; created for His glory.

"The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.”

So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel.

And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

Then the word of the LORD came to me:

“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD.

Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." (Jeremiah 18:1-6)

In this passage of scripture Jeremiah observed a potter who was working with clay on his potter's wheel. The clay was marred and spoiled. Instead of throwing the clay away, the potter reworks the clay. In the original language it is stated that, the potter labored, worked upon and produced something pleasing and right in his eyes.

After observing this, the LORD speaks to Jeremiah with a question and a statement: "Can I not do with you as this potter has done?". The nation of Israel is like clay in My hand, just like the clay in the potter's hand. God is Sovereign. He is saying I have the power to do with you what I want and He is also saying that He desires to work with His people; to mold them into a beautiful display of His glory.

This message was for the God's people, the Israelites, but it also applies to us today...

God created humans perfectly, but since the fall of Adam and Eve, all humans are born with a sinful nature; a nature that is marred and spoiled; a nature in need of a Redeemer and a Rescuer!

God has provided us with Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Rescuer; the One who restores our relationship with God the Father. As God's children, He doesn't leave us how He finds us, marred and spoiled. He loves us and begins a good work in our lives...

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

As I was thinking about the analogy of the Potter and the clay, I thought of God's hands molding and shaping the clay.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you," (1Peter 5:6)

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10)

As the clay, it takes continual humility to be under the mighty hand of God; a submission to HIs design and purpose; a yielding to His gentle guidance as I become His masterpiece designed to glorify Him and the perfect work of Jesus Christ.

As I trust my Creator, He guides me with His Holy Spirit and the Truth; He purifies my heart and mind, reworking the marred and spoiled into new life with new purpose.

"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4)

Delight in this verse means soft, delicate or pliable, take delight in

I find this so interesting as I think of God as the Potter and myself as His clay...

I must be soft and pliable in His hands; not stubborn and ridged; its a softness toward His Spirit and softness toward His Truth.

As I delight in the Lord the scripture says He gives me the desires of my heart.

Matthew Henry says it this way:

"He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body and the humors of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please him and to be pleased in him."

Delighting in the Lord is a softness and pliability toward His mighty hand shaping my heart to desire more of Him and to display the glory of the Potter.

"I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalms 40:8)

Delight in this verse means to incline, its root means to bend or curve

Again, I find this so interesting!

Delighting in God's will is a continual incline toward Him; its a pliability; a bending and curving to His will and His Truth!

The Creator of all things, who created man and desires a relationship with him, wants to take us and mold us into a vessel of honor; a vessel that displays the work of Him, the Potter.

As we humble ourselves to His Hands He reworks us...

As we delight in the Potter He molds us, shapes us and continues the work He began in us...

Lord You are the Potter and I am the clay! Help me to remain humble, trusting Your vision for my life and the masterpiece You are making. May I always delight in You so I can remain soft and pliable in Your mighty, gentle hands! Mold me and shape me into a vessel used to glorify You; a vessel used for Your honor!

Blessings,

Amy