“‘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 18:6). The potter’s wheel represents a place of transformation for something as useless as clay. Yesterday morning I helped my cousin put in a fence. All morning, as we moved from one post to the next, I spent time trying to get the mud off the bottom of my shoes. God used an illustration here in the book of Jeremiah to show us what He can do with us.
I don’t know about you, but there are many times that I feel that God has so little to work with when it comes to using me in any way that might benefit the cause of Christ. I have so many flaws. I have so many weaknesses. I have so many sins that I constantly seem to struggle with on a daily basis. The question often comes to my mind, “God, how can you use someone … something like me?” Well, the answer comes here in Jeremiah 18. God does not need much to begin the work. He can use a lump of clay to make a beautiful display of His handiwork.
The beauty of this passage is that it is not the value of the clay, but the life-changing power of the hands that mold it! Don’t you see today, if God can use a lump of clay, He can certainly use the things you have to give Him today! You are far more valuable than a lump of clay! God did not send His Son to buy back clay. God sent His Son into this world because YOU are a sinner! He sent His Son into this world to rescue YOU from your sinfulness, and your sinful behavior! He loves YOU!
As flawed as you might be, you are so valuable to the Potter than He gave all He had to get you back on the wheel again. Here is the key to this entire passage … stay on the wheel! Stay in a place where God can gently re-make you. Don’t resist the hand of the Potter today. Remember, there is plenty of clay in creek beds today that will never resemble a work of art, because they have remained in the creek bed. There are multitudes of people beyond number, who have tremendous potential, but will never amount to what God wanted them to be, because they never allowed God to put them on the potter’s wheel. Don’t make that mistake today.
It would be a good thing for each of us to stop right now … to take a moment to surrender all we are and all we have to the hand of the Potter. Ask Him to mold and make your life into that vessel that most resembles His plan for us. You will not regret it!