The Jumping Pots

UV 721/10,000 The Jumping Pots “ O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter? “ said the Lord. “ Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!” Jeremiah 18 v 6 Often we live as if God is the clay and that we are the potter. We want to shape God after our desires, imagination and intentions. But, the Lord says very clearly that He is the potter not just of individuals like us but of whole nations. He shapes the purpose and destiny of whole nations. He shapes our character. Sometimes, we submit to the fact that He is the potter and that we are the clay but while we are on the wheel being shaped, we will suddenly decide that it is enough and we try to get off the wheel. Imagine a giant wheel and billions of us on the wheel and the Lord patiently shaping us with the palm of His hands, all of us struggling to jump off the wheel every now and then. The problem is that these pots talk back, jump, squeal and complain all the time. When we believe and trust that the Potter has a better idea of what we should look like and do, we will sit on the wheel, quiet, yielded and contented in feeling the loving master strokes of the Creator. The whole universe is a gigantic potter's wheel spinning all the time and each of us and all of us are like pots that are being shaped by the Creator-Redeemer to His taste and to fulfill His purpose for our lives. Further, there are wheels within the wheel- with each turn of the potter's wheel some aspect of our lives gets moulded and shaped by the touch of the palm of the Potter. We should gently yield to the Potter instead of trying to jump off the wheel as we so often do. This uni-verse teaches us that we need to stick on the wheel or be faithful. We need to be flexible like molten clay. We need to be teachable and keep learning to walk in the ways of God according to the Word of God. We should not harden our hearts and minds like ancient Israel. Israel wanted a Messiah after their own imagination not the One whom God sent who would not break a reed but took the blows, insults, torture and death upon Himself. We should belong not to a rebellious house that follows the rules and traditions of sinful man but ignores the spiritual laws and sovereign will of the holy, just and loving God. We should not expect God to fall in line with our plans but instead align our plans and purpose with the revealed will of the Lord. At what stage, can we get off the potter’s wheel? As long as we are alive on Earth, we need to remain on the wheel and allow the Lord to mould, break, re-make and shape according to His plan and purpose. Every day He indicates through different ways the areas we need to change. We need to be sensitive to the move of His guiding hand that fashions us in His image or according to His imagination. Once we reach the desired shape and size, He blows on us the breath of His spirit, the Holy Spirit who keeps us in shape thereafter. As the pot is getting dried or as we mature, the Lord tests us for leakages by pouring His message into us. For the ultimate purpose of every pot, regardless of size, shape or beauty is to carry the Word. Prateep V Philip