The Potter and the Clay

During the last few weeks I have often been reminded of scriptures concerning God as our Potter and we being the clay as He shapes us into His holy vessels by His own hands. In Isaiah 64:8 Isaiah prays, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are our potter; and we are the work of Your hand." In 2 Cor. 4:7 Paul says "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."  The prophet Jeremiah also referred to this, and I was reminded of going to a village years ago where craftsmen demonstrated ways things were done in Biblical days, such as a Village Blacksmith and the Potter as they worked.  In those days, the potter made all the pottery on which they ate, baked or served their food, or created the more beautiful vessels and urns used in wealthier homes. I have illustrations in a book on "Bible Life and Times" I can share with you.  In 2 Timothy 2:20-21 God's vessels are described:

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if another cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work."

 In Jeremiah 18 the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah telling him to go down to the potter's house, and there He would give him His message. As my family and I watched the potter create a vessel he used wet clay in which impurities were removed.  He then placed the clay onto the potter's wheel where he carefully handcrafted the design of the vessel.  As the wheel rapidly turned you could see the potter handcraft a lovely vessel. We would watch it become higher and get a lovely shape. Quite often, despite trying to choose the best quality clay, there would be a tiny stone or other defect that would show up as the clay was worked on the wheel. At this time the potter chose to either change his original design and make another vessel, or begin all over again after removing the marred material. Often we could hardly see the imperfection, but the trained eye of the potter would not continue the original plan until it was removed, or if it was a bad flaw, would make another vessel of lesser quality from the material.

But - this was just the beginning of the making of the vessel of beauty.  As I was meditating on what and how to share, I was taken back to theology studies done years ago, and was able to find a beautiful poem that puts this and "the rest of the story" of the potter and clay into perspective, and I share it with you here.

Not Yet

(Testimony of a Beautiful Teacup)

I have not always been a teacup. There was a time in my life when I was just a lump of clay. Then my Master took me and began to pat and mold and shape me. It was very painful and I begged Him to stop, but He only smiled and said, "Not yet."

Then He placed me on a spinning wheel, and I went round and round. I got so sick I thought I was not going to make it. Then He finally let me off. Just as I thought I was going to be all right, my Master put me in an oven. I've never felt such heat. I could not understand why He wanted me to burn up. I yelled and begged for Him to let me out. I could see dimly through the glass in the oven door, but He still only smiled, shook His head, and said, "Not yet."

Finally, He came and took me out. "Whew! That sure feels better," I said to myself. Then, all of a sudden my Master picked me up and started sanding and brushing me. Then He took a paint brush and started painting colors all over me. The fumes were so strong, I thought I was going to pass out. I pleaded with Him to stop, but He continued to smile and said, "Not Yet."

Then He placed me into another oven.  This one was twice as hot as the first. I knew I would suffocate. I begged; I pleaded; I cried, but He still only smiled and said, "Not Yet."

I began to feel there was no hope. I would never make it. I just couldn't take any more. It was over for me. I decided to give it all up. Then the door swung open and the Master said, "NOW!"  He lifted me up and placed me on a shelf to rest. Later He came to me with a mirror and told me to look. As I looked at myself, I could not believe my eyes. I said, "Oh my! What a beautiful teacup." 

Then the Master explained, "I want you to understand that I knew it hurt when I patted and molded you. I knew the spinning wheel made you sick, but if I had left you alone you would have dried up and always been just a lump of clay. You would not have had any personality in your life. I also knew it was hot when I put you in the first oven, but if I hadn't, you would have just crumbled. I knew it really bothered you to be brushed and painted, but if I hadn't, you would not have had any color in your life. Oh, how I knew the second oven was hard for you. But You see, if I had not put you there you would have never been able to stand the pressures of life. You would not have survived for very long and your strength would not have lasted. So you see, when you thought all was so very hard, I still had you in My hand. I knew all along what you would be today. I had the finished product in mind from the day I first touched you.

Isaiah 64:8: "But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter, and we are all the work of Thy hand." Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint."

I pray this beautiful "Teacup" story will bless you, as it has me for many years.  I was unable to locate the original textbook, but it was from the book "The Making of a Leader" by Frank Damazio.  I am still looking for the original book, and pray I find it, but I was thrilled when the Lord led me to the typed up story for me to share with you.   Perhaps you feel as I have, particularly in these past months, that I've been in that spinning wheel, and then in the oven.  Yet I praise and thank God for His wonderful reminders that when we accept Him as our personal Lord, Savior and Redeemer, he picks us up just as we are, but I also thank Him that He does not leave us as he has found us.   In His loving grace and mercy He makes a beautiful vessel of each of us so that we may all see Him in all His glory when we see Him face to face.  His word assures us in 1 John 3:2-3: "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." 

As we allow our blessed Potter to have His way with us we can all walk in that blessed hope regardless of what we may have to go through in this life.  Have a blessed day in Christ, and I look forward to seeing you at our meeting on June 13.    In His love and mine,   Dee