Jeremiah 18 NKJV
The Potter and the Clay
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 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.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 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.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
Last night I was praying, partially about what today's sermon should be... and honestly. It was hard. Things have been really really rough over the past week and a half or so and they honestly still are. Physically, relationally, mentally, spiritually, I was feeling on the lacking side. It was one of those moments when you feel like you're getting hit from all over. I must have found myself crying every day for the past 10 days or so, over one thing or another.
Last night as I prayed and just poured my heart out, at one point or another I felt guilty... like I was griping or complaining. Many times over the past however many days, I told God that I'm going to make it through this test whatever it is and I'll trust Him. Of course, saying it and doing it require two different levels of energy or lack thereof. At one point, I told Him that I feel like the enemy's battering me around and He said, "How can the enemy be battering you around if you are in MY hands?"
Even satan is simply a carving tool in the hands of God. satan cannot do anything to any of us that God didn't give him permission to and sometimes it simply is that we need to remember that the Potter Whose hands we are in loves us with an everlasting love.
In the Potter's Hands, we are safe. We may not always be painless but we are always improving. No one knows better than the Potter what the clay can manage, and also, what beautiful vessel it can become.
Psalm 66
10 For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
you refined us like silver.
Just as the Silversmith watches over the silver as it is being refined, we are looked over. It has to be heated but He will not allow it to be scorched, only purified, so that it may shine with the glory He knows is placed within it.
Neither is it that we are being punished when things happen to us. Look at Job!
Job 1 The Message
6-7 One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them. God singled out Satan and said, "What have you been up to?"
Satan answered God, "Going here and there, checking things out on earth."
8 God said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil."
9-10 Satan retorted, "So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can't lose!
11 "But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He'd curse you right to your face, that's what."
12 God replied, "We'll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don't hurt him." Then Satan left the presence of God.
Satan answered God, "Going here and there, checking things out on earth."
8 God said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil."
9-10 Satan retorted, "So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can't lose!
11 "But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He'd curse you right to your face, that's what."
12 God replied, "We'll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don't hurt him." Then Satan left the presence of God.
If you continue reading, you'll know that Job lost his children, livestock, health... his wife walked out on him... Things got pretty bad. Now I don't know if it was my turn for satan to go and accuse me or what but we all have our Job moments, when things seem like they're spiraling out of control but the good news is that they only SEEM like that but they never are.
I was once told, "When you feel like life is spinning out of control, it's not... You are simply on the Potter's wheel."
On the Potter's Wheel, we get broken and kneaded ... but we also get made, shaped, corrected to become a beautiful vessel of honour. When the clay becomes marred in the hands of the Potter, it's not the fault of the Potter, things just happen but when He realizes that we have become marred, He has to break us right down and knead some stuff out of us. Kneading is painful (like pruning) but it's something that saves us later on.
Kneading gets those air bubbles out.
Your job is to not be a stubborn lump of clay but to be pliable in the hands of the Potter and just allow Him to shape you.
I could say more, but I'll just end it here...
Jeremiah 29:11 The Message
I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
