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Molded by the Master
01/11/2008 07:25:47 / Encouraging
Jeremiah 18:1-6 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 My 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. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "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!
If you have ever watched a potter work, as Jeremiah did in today's passage, you know the wonder of seeing a lovely vessel take shape from a lump of clay. God's object lesson to the prophet was that the nation of Israel--as well as every person from the beginning of time--was to be shaped by His hand. We are all lumps of human clay waiting for the touch of the master Potter.
When clay is placed on the wheel, the potter already has a specific design in mind. The same is true of us--God has determined how He plans to work in our life and what part we are to play in building His kingdom (Ephesians 2:10). He shapes with His hands and cuts with His tools so that our character begins to look like that of His Son Jesus. Each believer will be shaped differently to carry out the unique service God has in mind for him or her. But regardless of our special equipping, we all bear the unmistakable imprint of our Potter.
Too often we look around at the talents and abilities of others and wish to be more like someone else. But we have been perfectly designed for the purposes God has for us, and He makes no mistakes. If we spend our time wishing for talents that do not suit God's plan, or if we refuse to use the spiritual gifts He's given us, we waste His effort and our opportunity to serve Him.
The Master is pleased with the way He's designed our life and the abilities He has poured into us. To honor the Potter as a vessel should, we must submit to being molded and used as He desires.
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