In the Hands of the Potter

~~~~ Jeremiah 18: 1-6 ~~~ Psalm 146 ~~~ Matthew 13: 47-53 ~~~

I have been eagerly waiting for over 200 days to write about

the clay in the hands of the potter.

This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter's house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter's house and there he was,
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand,
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done' says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

I joyfully run to the potter's house.

I am excited to visit with the potter himself.

He has created such magnificent pieces. Some are truly brilliant.

The curves are so gentle yet sturdy and strong.

I arrive at the perfect time he is ready to begin work on a new piece...

or is it a piece he is reworking...is it a piece that fell off the wheel?

I am not yet close enough to tell...

Now I can see...the clay needs to be coaxed into staying

as the potter desires.

The potter explains the clay in his hands is a replica of me and my life.

The potter takes great care and always handles the clay with love.

The clay, me, does not always cooperate.

Sometimes it resists...sometimes it falls to the ground

...but the potter is right there to pick it up...to place it back on the wheel.

Why does the clay resist?

Jesus, the potter, kneads the clay tenderly.

I watch as he takes me into his hands I feel the warmth of his touch.

I feel the strength and firmness of his grip around me.

At times it is painful as he pulls from one side to the other.

He shares how often he has taken my clay and reworked me...

fashioned me into something his own. 

He wants to make of me a piece worthy of his love,

but I am such a challenge.

I do not want to surrender to his design.

Why can't I just tell him what piece I want him to make of my clay?

Do I want to be a cup to hold his precious drink?

Do I want to be a bowl to scoop up his bath water?

Do I want to be a plate upon which he can place his bread?

But then his words, which just yesterday

I was eager to devour,

came to me.

You are mine.

I will do with you what I will.

I will never leave you.

You are safe in my hands.

I am the only one who you can trust.

I care about you.

In my hands you will not want or fear.

I will make of you something pleasing in my eyes.

You must let me create in you a heart that is overflowing with love.

It is only when you give yourself to me that I can mold you...

hold you...protect you.

The words calm my soul, the resistance subsides and I allow the potter

to work my clay. He assures me things will be much more

blessed if I but enjoy this creative process.

He will create in me a new heart.

Someday I want to have the experience of working

a piece of clay on the wheel myself.

I want to have a better understanding of the challenges

that come along with creating with a lump of clay.

Then I will feel the clay resisting.

I invite you to take a piece of clay, if possible, and begin

to knead it in your hand.

Notice how it feels...how much strength it takes to shape

this piece of clay.

You are this lump of clay in the hands of the Divine Potter.

Will you cooperate with the Potter?