Painful and Beautiful

Jeremiah 18:1-4, “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words.” ³ So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. ⁴ And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.”

I watched a potter working with her clay recently. She had a lump of wet clay on a spinning wheel, her hands lightly surrounding the clay. As the wheel spun, her hands shaped the lump into a pot. It looked good to me but suddenly the potter smashed her creation. She did it all again, and again flattened the pot. This time she just flattened the top portion. As the wheel turned she continued to shape the clay into her idea of what it was supposed to be. She shaped it very well with just the right amount pressure exerted by her hands… the hands of a master potter.

It seemed painful and beautiful all at once. The potter knew better than the pot what she had designed it to be and was willing to inflict pressure to make it so. No doubt the pressure is painful but the result is beautiful, bringing glory to the potter rather than the pot. I think that most of us, given the opportunity would jump off of the potter’s wheel. The pain and process can be scary but here’s the good news. In the bible God is called faithful and true and love. We can be certain that the pressure the master puts on us lumps of clay will be from his heart of faithful love.

I don’t know what the week holds for you but I pray God will give you the faith and courage to stay on the wheel.

Grace for the journey,

Harrison