I am not a black and white kind of guy. I have felt that being moldable has far to many advantages and that kind of lands me in the gray. I have found myself staying away from famous verses in my daily readings and today, I think I hit most of them. Not only that, I have been taught a valuable lesson.
God told Jeremiah, “Up on your feet! Go to the potter’s house. When you get there, I’ll tell you what I have to say.”
So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot. – Jeremiah 18:1-4 MSG
It all starts here, at this very famous rendering of a potter’s house.
First thought – living a life of honour is not about living a perfect life. Living a life of honour means I am living in a way that lets Jesus break off the old life so He can make me into a new vessel with renewed purpose and a greater capacity to do what He has called me to do.
Lesson learned – Jesus does not define me by my brokenness. Jesus sees my full potential to honour God and serve others. Somewhere, right in the middle is a process called sanctification and it is here that I need to be moldable. Why am I still holding on to areas of my life that I do not want Him to change or shape? I can think of quite a few areas where He has molded me. I do find freedom in all of them. What is up with me holding back?
God said to me, “Go, buy a clay pot. Then get a few leaders from the people and a few of the leading priests and go out to the Valley of Ben-hinnom, just outside the Potsherd Gate, and preach there what I tell you. – Jeremiah 19:1-2 MSG
Jeremiah amazes me. He is a nobody, in fact, he is weird by any definition. Yet, he has the honour and authority to invite key leadership to meet him in a valley, outside the city and hear what he has to say – that is impressive to see God honouring His servant – Jeremiah is a least an equal to these individuals.
Father, I have heard so many sermons on who you are as a potter. I love how many try and capture Your essence in this job and I am sure, even as I am today, that we never quite get all of it. I am thankful for how You reveal Yourself and thank You for what You have shared with me today.
Erwin (evanlaar1922)
Sixty-six books in a year 