The Potter, and the Clay
Jeremiah 18:5-6 “Then the word of the Lord came to me saying,
O house of Israel, can not 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.”
Paul says the same thing in:
Romans 9:20-21 “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?”
(These verses have often disturbed people….yes, me too, at one time. But I have come to see that God’s molding me, is not because He does not love me…He made me, me…..but because He wants to make my character like Christ’s. HIs poking me, and prodding me, here and there is for one purpose; that I might enjoy the freedom which is knowing the fullness of His love and care, every moment. There is no darkness with God….all is light….enjoyable, warm, loving light…and HE needs to bring me into it.)
This is not our bodies; yes, they are all different, but God is speaking of molding our souls.
God has used every experience of our lives to shape our souls.
Our souls are that which makes us unique. They are a gift from God that no other creature has.
Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
The soul is the apartment of self-consciousness. It is where our personality is. There, our individual character is formed, and rules our thought life, our emotions, our will, our conscience, and our social interactions.
When we are born again, we are given the blessed privilege of having the Holy Spirit come and dwell with us, for Christ said He would not leave us comfort less, He would come unto us.
John 14:16-18 “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
As Christians, Paul is saying that as God’s “clay”, we need to accept what we are,
how we are,
and even, where we are,
and then be reconciled to Him, in them.
How much of our discontent lies in this.
God wants to make us a vessel unto honor, and has given us His Spirit to enable and mold us:
2 Timothy 2:20-21 “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
To move forward with God, you must be in your place before Him. To know that He is there with us, because He loves us.
So many people say, “God knows best”;……yet doubt every time trouble comes.
They are anxious, burdened, and worried.
(Haven’t we all experienced this doubt?)
But we are called to “possess our souls”….our souls are our mind, heart, and will….which make up our personality.
Luke 21:19 “In your patience, possess ye your souls.”
We are to gain, by subjection to the Holy Spirit, real power over our affections:
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”
Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”
Our thoughts:
1 Peter 1:13 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”
And wills:
John 7:17 “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whither it be of God, or whither I speak of myself.”
There is always trouble here, in this world; but as you submit to the Holy Spirit, the influence of the trouble is less, and less.
His power to help, strengthen, and encourage is more and more.
He is the Potter, we are the clay.
Submitting to Him we have liberty, and begin to have the fruit of the Spirit working in us and through us.
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Let us yield; or give in; or submit; or surrender; all terms which mean that for us,…we choose Christ…..and Christ will choose for my life.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 