Life is full of surprises. My friend Brad, making the beautiful mug pictured above, only recently discovered the joy of moulding clay into useful vessels and works of art. He has been so busy “at the wheel” I cheekily asked him if it had become an obsession. He then shared with me how he had discovered this wonderful gift, but that's his story to tell.
I was reminded of a song from many years ago that was based on some verses from Isaiah 64:
Then of another similar passage, from Jeremiah 18: “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.”
Why was I thinking about the potter's wheel? Stuff happens! I have learned over the years that, for a follower of Jesus Christ, this stuff is often used for the purpose of making us more like him. It's called sanctification. When “stuff happened” for me recently it made me realise that I am still on the Potter's wheel. I needed a bit more moulding and shaping, a bit more growing and learning! It's not comfortable, but it's worth it if we allow ourselves to be shaped by the Master Potter.
I often say that we should wear a shirt that reads, "Be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet". It's so true. We are all a work in progress, and to remember that should enable us to be patient with ourselves and with others.
The good news is that we don't have to remain a wonky pot! If we give God permission to reshape us, we can become something beautiful, something good. The words of a Bill Gaither song come to mind…
Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion, he understood
All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife
But he made something beautiful of my life
Don't despair if you keep falling or failing. Allow the Potter to remould you and make you into something for his pleasure and glory. Be warned though, it's a lifelong process until we move to glory.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Life is full of surprises. My friend Brad, making the beautiful mug pictured above, only recently discovered the joy of moulding clay into useful vessels and works of art. He has been so busy “at the wheel” I cheekily asked him if it had become an obsession. He then shared with me how he had discovered this wonderful gift, but that's his story to tell.
I was reminded of a song from many years ago that was based on some verses from Isaiah 64:
Then of another similar passage, from Jeremiah 18: “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.”
Why was I thinking about the potter's wheel? Stuff happens! I have learned over the years that, for a follower of Jesus Christ, this stuff is often used for the purpose of making us more like him. It's called sanctification. When “stuff happened” for me recently it made me realise that I am still on the Potter's wheel. I needed a bit more moulding and shaping, a bit more growing and learning! It's not comfortable, but it's worth it if we allow ourselves to be shaped by the Master Potter.
I often say that we should wear a shirt that reads, "Be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet". It's so true. We are all a work in progress, and to remember that should enable us to be patient with ourselves and with others.
The good news is that we don't have to remain a wonky pot! If we give God permission to reshape us, we can become something beautiful, something good. The words of a Bill Gaither song come to mind…
Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion, he understood
All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife
But he made something beautiful of my life
Don't despair if you keep falling or failing. Allow the Potter to remould you and make you into something for his pleasure and glory. Be warned though, it's a lifelong process until we move to glory.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
