Good morning. A very quick Biblical history: God had determined that the people who would be His conduit for the Messiah to enter the world would be the descendants of Abraham. In time, they became known as Israel. God rescued His people from Egypt, and when the time was right, He brought them to the Promised Land. But God’s people rebelled against Him. The nation split in two and waged wars against each other. They turned from God and refused to accept his will or to obey it. God sent prophets to speak for Him, to tell the people that their actions would end in disaster. But He also told them that once again, when the time was right, He would rescue and restore them. God’s plan for our salvation would never be thwarted by the foolish and stubborn rebellions of His people.
One of the prophets God sent to speak to His people was Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 18:1-6 we read an analogy of God’s intentions for His rebellious people: The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good for the potter to do.
Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
I think that these verses provide an excellent reminder for us when things don’t seem to be going as we had intended for them to go. We need to picture the work of a potter. He or she takes a gob of mud and shapes it. It may end up being a utilitarian piece for everyday use. Or, it may end up being carefully designed and crafted into a fine piece of art. It may start out as one thing, and then require a complete overhaul so that it ends up as something different. It is all up to the potter and subject to the potter’s ideas and skill.
If you ever feel like a lump of clay being smushed together, if your life seems like it is in the midst of a “do over”, that’s okay. It is okay because you can trust the Potter. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O (insert your name here).
Whatever our mistakes, our rebellions, our sins, God doesn’t give up on us. It may take a complete “do over”, but God will make it work when we trust Him. Find peace today, knowing that you are always in the Potter’s expert hands.
Vern