clay in the Potter's hand

"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. (Jer 18:6)

Because God is our Master Craftsman, and we the clay, we can be certain of two things:

One, God has specific PURPOSE for us - each one of us; and
Two, our value and worth comes from the Maker, not from ourselves.

There were (in Jeremiah's days) seven steps for a lump of clay to be made into a pottery.

In the CHOOSING process, a common clay is picked out from the ground. In and of itself, it is not useful for anything. Much work is needed.

In the CLEANING process, all impurities and foreign materials are removed, as well as air pockets that form in the clay by kneading it.

In the TEMPERING Process, water and other tempering agents are added to make the clay pliable for molding.

In the MOLDING Process, the clay is shaped into a pottery by working inside and out.

In the DRYING process, the clay pottery is laid to dry in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place.

In the DECORATIVE process, the dried pottery is painted and glazed.

In the BAKING process, the pottery is placed into a kiln that is heated to at least 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2 to 3 days.

God chooses us, not because we are so much better than others, but because He has plans for us; then he cleans us of all impurities and all things that get in the way of becoming what we need to be; afterwards, He adds grace upon grace, along with talents and ability to serve, but it is also in this process we are made pliable; then we are molded, not from outside in, but inside out - we don't change and become "good enough" for God to use us, but He works in us first; then despite all our great visions and dreams of serving God in specific ministry, He "leaves" us in a dark, dry, isolated place to "dry" us, preparing us for the final steps.

When God "paints" us, the color is not usually what we think should be, just as the paint color on the dried pottery will come out very different once it's been in the fire for a couple of days. We are often shortsighted and limited in our understanding to know why God chose these specific means to "color" our lives, but He knows what we will become.

And finally, He puts us in the blazing furnace, and ultimately, we come forth with amazing transformation in appearance and usefulness.

A lump of clay in the hand of the Potter can change into something beautiful and useful.

--from Nakwon EM Sunday Service April 22