Sovereignty, Sensitivity and Surrender

UV 1712/10000 Sovereignty, Sensitivity and Surrender
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 v 6

The Earth spins like a giant potter’s wheel. Everything is spinning and nothing remains the same as change is happening all the time in our lives and around us. The Lord shapes and moulds us from the miry clay in His hands and turns us into useful and beautiful pots. The Lord’s will and purpose that He sets for our lives are final and sovereign just as the potter can do as he wants with the clay. We cannot question His sovereign will. Instead, we need to yield like clay to the work of the Lord in our lives. We do not see the full picture nor do we know the full design He has in mind for us. As pots or earthen vessels meant to carry the message of the Lord, we need to only Pray, Obey and Trust. We obey His commands and trust His promises. We should not be stubborn or harden our hearts to disbelieve the Lord or disobey Him. We need to admit that not just our feet are of clay and therefore brittle and vulnerable but our whole being is fragile and that we are better off yielded to the Lord in complete surrender and trust.

As pots in the making, we need to be sensitive and soft to the touch of the Lord and allow our lives to be moulded in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. Every touch of the Lord makes a difference to our lives. The Lord takes us through the furnace of afflictions to form our character and inner being. Our strength to endure is built up in these times of afflictions. Sometimes the Lord breaks us and re-makes us. We should not complain when we are broken. As pots we need to focus more on what we contain and not focus on the superficial- how we look on the outside or the externalities of life-eat, drink or being merry. We are earthen pots meant to carry the treasure of the Lord. The kingdom of God is the treasure within us that is far more valuable and lasting than us. We should be willing to be broken to reveal the kingdom of God within us. Like us, others too are being formed and shaped on the potter’s wheel. We should not attempt to take the place of the potter in forcing change in their behaviour or character or pre-judge them. If we do so we are taking the place of God.

The word “ Israel” means to struggle with the Lord. Jacob struggled as he came out of Rachel’s womb to get ahead of his brother Esau. He struggled in obtaining the blessings of his father ahead of Esau, the first born. He struggled to control the rivalry between his two wives and between his sons. He struggled with neighbouring chiefs and people. His struggles ended only when he yielded himself to the God of Abraham and Isaac, knowing that He knew what is best for him. As pots in the making, we mar ourselves and mess our lives when we struggle with the Lord or with other relationships. Each turn of the minute hand on our watches, each day, week, month and year are but turns on the wheel of life on which we are being formed. We are being formed to be transformed with every major and minor event and happening in our lives. We only need to Pray, Obey and Trust.

Prateep V Philip