But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel - Jeremiah 18:4-6
The Potter is one of the most intimate names of our Creator. It represents God’s sovereign right to do as He pleases with our life. In this case, we see God calling Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house. Upon arrival, Jeremiah sees the potter working the clay with his hands; he watches the piece of clay that was once marred become something entirely new.
If you have ever worked with clay, you know that when you make a mistake, you do not simply grab a new piece of clay. You take a mixture of water and clay and begins to kneed it while also applying pressure to release the trapped air. This allows for it to become a workable piece of clay.
God says “Like this potter, am I not able to do to you, O house of Israel?” At this time, Israel had shown disobedience and needed to be reshaped. This scenario can also apply to us; intentionally or unintentionally find ourselves in disobedience with God. The greatest take away is that God can fix every situation - if we allow Him.
Unlike clay having no option but to submit to the will of the potter, we are able to make decisions to remove ourselves from the will of our Father. We must also make the decision to allow Him to mold us as the potter molds the clay.
As mentioned earlier, when a piece of clay has been damaged to the point of what seems like no return, there is always hope. However, there is a process to make the clay right again. Without this process, the clay would remain weak and vulnerable. Remember, it is God who is able to shape us just as the potter shapes the clay. If you are in a tough situation right now, give it to him, allow him to work in your life. This scripture tells us that the potter worked with the clay until it was right in his eyes. We must allow God to do the same with us.
God is preparing you for a new start. He is preparing you to be shaped into the person He sees you being. Lean on Him in all things and have faith that He is shaping you!
In his defence Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”- John 5:17
- by Corey & Candice Johnson, Missionaries in Zambezi, Zambia with Overland Missions