God Is The Potter

God Is
The Potter

"The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel" (Jeremiah 18:1-6).

Of course Jeremiah is addressing Israel in the passage; however we can also make personal application of the spiritual principle. We find in this passage that God is the potter and that we are the clay. At one point in time. the church that I was in had a man who was a potter who vividly illustrated this passage. First, the potter chooses the clay, but not just any clay. He chooses the clay that he wants to use for a particular vase. The word says that God chooses those who become Believers. "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). He takes the clay and lays it on a board and begins to knead it as woman would dough. He adds water to the clay as he works and softens the clay. Again, God begins to add the water of the Word to our lives. "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word" (Ephesians 5:26). Once the clay become pliable, it works it into a ball. Then he does what is called, "Throwing the pot." The potter literally takes the clay and throws it on to the middle of the potter wheel. God in the same fashion throws us into the middle of His will. The potter "throws" the ball of clay to make it stick in the middle of the wheel. If the clay doesn't stick to the wheel, then it will be thrown off as the potter turns the wheel.

The potter begins to turn the wheel using the pressure of his hands to shape the vessel and also to help keep the clay in the middle of the wheel. In the same way God uses His hands to keep us in the middle of His will. If the potter turns the wheel too slow the vessel become lopsided. If he turns the wheel too fast, the clay will be thrown off the wheel. In like fashion, God knows just how fast to put us in different circumstances. Again, we should note that the potter uses the pressure of his hands both on the inside of the pot and on the outside to shape the vessel. God uses both external and internal pressures in our lives to help shape our lives as well. It is important to use water throughout the process to keep the clay moist and smooth. God uses His Word to keep us pliable and make the transitions in our lives smoother. We should note that the clay doesn't get to tell the pot what vessel that potter is to make or how that vessel is to be used. Neither do we get to tell God how He is to shape our lives or how He will use our lives.

If the potter discovers a hard lump in the clay, he crushes the pot in his hand, puts the clay back on the board, adds water and begins all over with the clay. He doesn't simply throw the clay away. If God finds hardness in our lives, He also crushes us and begins to start all over adding the water of the Word to make us pliable and begins anew in shaping our lives.

Once the potter has shaped the vessel into the shape and purpose for which he has chosen, then he takes a string or wire and cuts the vessel loose from the wheel and places it into the kiln to set the shape of the pot. He may also glaze the pot. God also puts us into the kiln of life to set the shape of our lives. Then he may also glaze us with glory. We should again remember that God is the potter. He has chosen us the clay and He has a purpose in shaping our lives the way that He does through the experiences which we experience.

Your life is as unique from another person's life as one pot is unique from another. We should also remember that the potter makes each vessel not just to look pretty, but to be for the beneficial use for others. "But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand" (Isaiah 64:8).

*** One interesting fact which a client pointed out to me is that only the potter can see what is deep inside the pot.

"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine" (Isaiah 43:1).

"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Romans 9:20-21).