At the Potter's House
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.
11 "Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, 'This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.' 12 But they will reply, 'It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; each of us will follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.' "
Have you ever received a "message from God?" I know sometimes I wish that God would speak more clearly. At other times, I know that he has spoken, and then I must decide whether to listen.
God told Jeremiah to "go to the potter's house," and there he witnessed a powerful object lesson. A beautiful pot was taking shape, the clay turning quickly upon the wheel and guided by the potter's skillful hands.
But something wasn't right. Things were "marred," in a way that could only mean a total new beginning if the pot was ever to hold its beauty.
Everybody falls short. All of us are "marred" by the shame and sin of this world. But in this scripture lies some great good news. We can be re-formed, re-cast and made new by the hands of the potter who loves us.
If we turn from our brokenness toward the one who can make things right, "I will relent," becomes our Father's promise. Thanks be to God.
Prayer: Father, you are the potter and we are the clay. May we give ourselves willingly to your work of molding our lives into the vessels you desire. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
Tomorrow's Reading: Jeremiah 18:13-23
2 comments:
Adam, Thanks for the Monday message, I definitely needed to read that. I always feel as if my life needs remolding and reshaping. I struggle alot with inter peace, alot of times finding myself to relinguish my troubles to God only when the pain gets to hard to bare, or carry which ever comes first. A new week, and a new day.....Let me let God remold me.Shannon
I always feel I'm starting over or battling the same things...the same lessons. I want to be better, to be different, to be Holy, but instead I feel holey...full of holes and corrupt places. I am thankful that God is gracious and is patiently and lovingly working with me, keeping me on the wheel until the day of his return. To God be the glory.
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