It’s hard to imagine ourselves as a lifeless piece of clay or dead mass of rock, but when you see the final result – it’s an amazing piece of imagery.  We are in the Master’s hand.  He takes us and shapes us.  He sometimes has to push us to get us motivated.  There are days when he has to re-do us – not because He has made any mistakes, but because we are unwilling to surrender to His will.  If clay would be left on its own, it would stay the same forever.  With God as the potter –  we take on shape – we have purpose – we live. 

It isn’t always going to be easy.  We know we’re going to have obstacles.  Some days we think we’re finished, but the Potter has different ideas.  Some days we think we know better than Him and that’s when we have to be pushed down again and re-made.  As any good pot knows, there will be a fire to face at some point.  We will all have to go through trials in this life, but when we’re finished we will be ready – for eternity with the Master.

Isaiah 64:8  But now, O Lord, you are our Father;  we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.”

THE POTTER & THE CLAY

POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©

A lump of clay – no life – unanimated – uninspired,

Left to the hands of the Potter,

He pushes and prods with the strength of His hands,

He manipulates with the tenderness of His fingers,

And creates something beautiful from the unrecognizable,

He chisels details – two eyes, a nose, a mouth,

A human form, with flesh and blood,

He breathes life into newly formed nostrils with His own exhalation,

Then He sets it aside – letting His handiwork rest for a while,

Left to its own will and devices,

Alone,

No life,

Inanimate,

Uninspired,

The creation is led by its own desires and passions,

It wanders aimlessly through an unknown existence,

Without the Creator, it cannot think clearly,

Its mind is controlled by desires,.

Crashing,

Tumbling,

Falling,

Deeper into a pit of nothingness,

Alone and out of control,

Because it has not yet been exposed to the Light,

The Potter stops until His masterpiece is found,

He takes it into His loving hands,

He brings it closer to the Light.

He refines,

Warms,

Reshapes,

Remolds,

Inspires,

He erases the blemishes,

Polishes and finishes,

The Creation experiences the Light,

It feels the warmth,

Bends at the touch,

It is irresistible.

Through the Potter’s loving touch,

The clay now experiences eternal life.