The meaning of God being the Potter sends a clear message to all people to be subjective to His power and perfect will. You are the clay. You can’t contend with your Maker.
God is the Creator of heaven and earth. He created everything —both the seen and the unseen. He rules over them all.
He is so powerful to do anything for his children. Humans can’t fathom His ways, power and greatness with their finite minds. Sometimes people forget that they are just like clay in the hands of God. They exalt themselves above Him or show no gratitude for His love, grace and power.
Back in the days of the Israelites, they provoked God by worshiping heathen gods. They sinned greatly against the Holy One —making prophet Jeremiah hopeless and grievous.
God gave him a scenario of his unrestrained power by telling Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house. Seeing the Potter mold a clay vessel from his potter’s wheel, he smashed it because the mold wasn’t his desired shape: God drew Jeremiah’s attention to what the Potter had done.
He told Jeremiah that He can do the same thing to Israel by smashing them for their disobedience —hence forming a new vessel out of the lump.
God said:
“House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?’ says the LORD. ‘Look, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.” (Jeremiah 18:6)
Paul gave a similitude in Romans 9:21. And this saying point to our ingratitude towards God.
Prophet Isaiah recognized God as the Maker of everything —and that, we are just like clay in His hands. We are too feeble to contend with God. It would be a foolish thought to compel God to do anything against His will.
“But now, LORD, you are our Father, and we are clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hands.” (Isaiah 64:8)
Our Problems As Clay In The Hands Of The Lord
We are individual clay pots holding something precious within us. The breath of God lives in us. Without Him, we are worthless.
Anyone who accuses God of not making him the way he had wanted sins against God. Many Christians think they can tailor their will into God’s plans and see Him do it.
Who should complain? The clay or the Potter? As clays, we have no power to speak against our Potter to remake us. We have no knowledge about how he fearfully and wonderfully made us in our mother’s womb.
If we call on God for help while still in sin —He will not listen. God wants everyone to repent. Remember, what He did to the Israelites, he smashed them into the clay lump. He is calling everyone living today to refrain from sin —else he will drink from His cup of wrath.
In the New Testament, we can find the consequences of sin. It says the wages of sin is death.
The Israelites felt the anger of God for their rebellious lifestyles. Some of them died, others became captives in foreign lands. Even today, He is still rendering punishment on people who fail to obey his word.
God as the Potter allowed the Babylonians to destroy their temple and took them to foreign lands. They did not see any evidence that God is still with them. They felt abandoned. The Potter has smashed the clay.
Understanding Our Nature As Clay In The Hands Of The Lord
We must not fail to understand the wonderful works of the Lord. He made us in His own image. Yes! He chooses us for His work according to His will.
His time will always be perfect. Even if we can’t understand what He is doing in our lives today —it is important to trust and love Him unconditionally.
Don’t ever get jealous if your friend is enjoying the blessings of the Lord. Don’t be ungrateful by saying He hasn’t been good to you.
It’s a pity to see people complain “I wish I were not born“, “it is better if I die.” The question I often throw at these assertions: “do your problems surpass that of Job?”
Oh uh… Think again. The turbulence of life might make you feel lost or worthless. Some of the people around us can also make us feel lost and hopeless. But as Christians, we don’t allow society to make us feel lost.
We don’t have to allow them to mold us into their own desired shapes. God has molded us and so we look perfect in His sight. Be ready to serve the purpose you were created for.
The Potter who made the vessel for serving special dishes also made pots for collecting garbage. The Bible made reference to Pharaoh. God hardened his heart to display His power over humans, kingdoms, and everything.
Interestingly, Apostle Paul said believers should strive to be useful vessels in the house of the Lord.
God has the power to choose from any clay pot He likes for any particular work. He expects us to give glory to Him —irrespective of our physical appearances, financial status, level of education, etc
If you think you are not useful as the workmanship of God —then you are being ungrateful to Him.
By listening to people and what society says about you —you might think there is nothing good in you.
In fact, if you evaluate yourself from the world’s perspective, you will think you are good for nothing. Society has redefined “normal life” and expects everyone to fit in. Crooked world!
You feel lost and worthless because you have listened to this crooked world —you will feel like a garbage can. I think this is even a little overrated: You will be the garbage itself. Don’t blame anyone for that – you chose that by agreeing to what this perverse world says about you.
On the other hand, if God the Potter molds you as a garbage can — then He knows you will serve a good purpose for Him. God has purposed our lives for greatness. He is the one who raises the poor from the dunghill and sets him among princes. He heals, restores and kills. Who dare question His works?
A friend, a family member, or co-worker might look more important than you for various reasons. But it doesn’t discredit you as a precious vessel of the Lord. There is something priceless inside you. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Some of the pots are meant for special services. So understand the kind of pot you are. Let me tell you this; a garbage vessel in the house of the Lord is far more precious than the most beautiful utensil in this perverse world. Your value in the body of Christ is the most important thing to think about.
The Bible reminded us like this:
“Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor. If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:20 – 21)
Even, in tribulations, God still wants us to love Him. We don’t have any valid excuse for not loving God. He is the Potter —allow Him to use you by pursuing righteousness; irrespective of the kind of vessel you are.
We are subjected to His power. One interesting and inspiring thing Christians must understand is —God’s plan for everyone is perfect.
We might not understand His doings now. But at the right time, we will. May we allow ourselves for the Lord to mold us according to His will.
The Lord Will Forgive Repented Sinners
The Son of God —Jesus Christ came to die for our sinners. The blood has done what that of animals couldn’t do. The blood has sanctified and made us whole —making us worthy of His Kingdom.
If anyone is still rebelling against God through any kind of sin such as fornication, idolatry, drunkenness, covetousness, etc, then he must repent before the wrath of God befalls on him. May we glorify Him with all our strength.
His anger is burning like fire in an oven. God is preparing to bring eternal destruction on unrepented sinners on the last day.
He told the Israelites:
“If that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I thought to do to them.” (Jeremiah 18:8)
He is willing to forgive anyone who turns away from his sins by acknowledging that God is the Potter and the Author of our lives.
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