The Potter’s Wheel

Jeremiah 18:1-7 (NKJV)

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:

2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.”

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!”

 

Verse 4 says that the clay was marred, so the Potter had to re-make the clay vessel. The Amplified version renders the word marred for “spoiled”. The Adam Clarke’s Commentary says that some gravel or a small stone was found embedded into the clay, thus causing a breach. The Potter had to begin again with fresh clay.

This parable of the Potter and Clay shows Israel’s dependence on God. As He is the Master and Creator, He can shape our destinies how He sees fit.

The Lord wants to make us into a better person. He wants you to be a better individual, wife, husband, mother, father, son, daughter, business person, minister, employee. He is not trying to take from us, but to add to our lives His goodness. He wants to refine us, so as to remove the dross, so that we come out as pure gold and silver vessels, which are vessels of honor fit for the Master’s use (2 Timothy 2:20-21).

Don’t be afraid to let Jesus be the Lord over all the kingdoms of your heart and life. Don’t resist the Holy Spirit’s dealings in your life. Just yield to the Lord and allow Him to have His way in your life. He wants to bring greater levels of peace and joy, and abundant life, to your life.

The Lord wants us to come into deeper levels of consecration and to walk in holiness. This is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit.

There is an old song we used to sing, called “Have Thine Own Way”. It goes:

 

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Thou art the Potter

I am the Clay.

Mold me and make me

After Thy will

While I am waiting

Yielded and still.

Text: Adelaide A. Pollard, 1862-1934
Music: George C. Stebbins, 1846-1945 

 

As we wait on the Lord and have an open heart before Him, then He can begin to move in our lives. He wants to do great things in and through us, if we will get in sync with Him.

The Lord is asking you today the question: “Can I have My way in your life, and mold you into My image and into the person I destined for You to become?” The Lord has good plans for our lives, to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

All vessels that the Potter makes are equally important, and all have a useful purpose and function. There are fancy vases, and there are dinner plates and water pitchers. What seems to be considered to be the lesser vessels (eating/drinking ware) is even more useful for day to day living.

In Heaven, everyone will have an assignment to do, but it will be what you enjoy doing and what you are naturally skilled and talented at doing. Some will be florists, some ministers, some musicians and singers, some that work in the court room of Heaven, and others who take care of children. All of these things are equally important, as we all have our placement in the Body of Christ. Everyone has at least one talent that they are gifted at.

Also, in Heaven our net worth is not based on dollars and cents, but on how many souls we have and will impact for the kingdom of God.

If we, the Clay, would allow the Potter (the Lord) to work on us, developing us into the vessel He ordained for us to be, then we will be able to be used by God more, and make a greater impact for the kingdom of God.