Jeremiah 18:2-6 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” 3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. 5 Then the Lord gave me this message: 6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand”
Many of us have heard these verses very well. We Christians all understand and admit that we are the clay and God is the Potter. But, in reality, how many of us Christians out there allow the Potter to mold us into beautiful vessels without complaining, grumbling, negotiating and/or reasoning to the Potter? As a lump of clay, are we being resistant or submissive to the Potter?
I have seen and encountered many lumps of clay complaining to the Potter and His wheel. They are reluctant to be molded on such a wheel. In order for a lump of messy, ugly, and unshaped clay to be made into a beautiful vessel, the potter’s wheel must spin unceasingly as the potter’s hand throughly shapes it. The wheel will only stop for the clay once it is turned into a beautiful vessel. But during the spinning of the wheel, the ugly unshaped lump of clay may feel discomfort and even pain since it may never had such an experience. The clay will not know what kind of vessel it will turn out to be until the Potter finishes molding to completion.
We Christians must understand that we could possibly be left as an unfinished, ugly, and unshaped lump of clay and be cast away if we continue to complain and grumble while we are on His wheel. We must understand our difficult situations and uncomfortable circumstances represents the Potter’s wheel. We can not tell the Potter to stop spinning the wheel. We are not allowed to complain. We do not have the right, period. On the wheel, we are shaped and made into a perfect vessel. Without the Potter spinning wheel and without the skillful hands upon us, we will never be made into a beautiful vessel. You do not want to be left as a dried up clay. You know what happens when clay dries up. Do not be offended by God. Do not question God and do not doubt for He knows the best for you. Do not harden your hearts as a dried and hardened clay.
Romans 9:20-21 “No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?”
One thing God has taught me throughout my difficulties is that whatever occurs in my life, whether it may appear bad and I am not able to discern the reason for such occurrence, I have learned to just trust God knowing that He knows what’s best for me and my family. I still praise and give HIM thanksgiving even in my most difficult situations. And I have realized that whenever I pray and as I trust and give thanksgiving even in my difficult situations, His help quickly comes and is resolved. I must always remind myself that I am a lump of clay and God is my Potter. Clay can never question, reason or complain. Clay must be still and it must let the Potter make it into a useful vessel. When the lump of clay is still allowing the Potter to finish His job making the clay into a beautiful vessel, the Potter will be GLORIFIED.
Fire of God Ministries
Yoojin Kim
August 16, 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment