You Are the Potter, I Am the Clay

In Jeremiah 18:1 the Lord tells Jeremiah to go down to the potter's house . . . Have you ever seen a person making pottery, watched the wheel go round and round, heard the whirring sound, seen confident hands shape and mold a wet, smelly piece of clay, and been amazed or astonished at the finished sight?

Now to hear a word from the Lord, I would have expected God to tell Jeremiah to go to the temple, or in our day and time, to go to a church, or to pick a quiet place and listen to some beautiful piece of music, or watch a sunset, or at least pick up a Bible and read His word carefully. But no - go down to the potter's house was the command. Jeremiah goes out to hear from the Lord. It seems he's not in a familiar place.

I think the Lord does that with us at times - send us out into the world, or at least out into an unexpected place to hear from Him. Perhaps the out for you is different from my out. Maybe it is different for each of us as we strive to serve the Lord and hear a word from Him. It could be at our place of work, or while shopping in a store. Perhaps while on a Mission Trip, working in the nursery, or singing in the choir. But God works in us in unusual places and at unexpected "turns" (pardon the pun with the pottery wheel!).

But what happens if the clay He is working with is "marred"? Does He throw it away or put it down and grab another piece of clay? No, He reshapes it into a vessel that He can use. We've all be marred - by sin, by disobedience, by being obstinate, by life. But He doesn't cast us aside does He? He works in us with that everlasting love that he has for us. He restores us and makes us into something He can use for his kingdom. Perhaps He makes you into a new vessel - something you never imagined you could be. Perhaps He uses you in some service in a unique way that you never dreamed possible. Perhaps He removes the rough edges and shapes you into a completely different piece by experiences in your life that He allows to happen. But in His hands, he will mold and make you into a vessel fit for His use if you trust him and are willing to put yourself into His hands. Let's give it a try.

Have thine own way, Lord,

Have thine own way.

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me After thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

After watching the pottery being made, God tells Jeremiah to buy a jar and take it with him, along with some of the priests and civil leaders, and to go to the Valley of Ben Hinnon. There Jeremiah is to throw the jar down and break it into pieces - signifying the Lord's judgment against Jerusalem for their idolatry and the evil practices of child sacrifice (Holman's Bible Handbook).

Jeremiah was imprisoned and beaten. He was depressed, angry, confused and cried out his complaints to God, cursing the day he was born. Yet even in all of this, the "weeping prophet" will continue to obey his Lord and be used as His vessel. Good example for us.