The Potter's Clay

I remember playing with clay as a child.  It was fun and satisfying.  Even adults find working with clay quite enjoyable and fulfilling especially when looking at the finished product they created with their own hands.

It takes patience and determination to sculpture something that one can be proud of.  Some clay is non-pliable in the potter’s hands, because the moisture in the clay has dissipated, which is a key factor to good, workable clay.

A potter must then take the hardened clay and knead it with care, adding back the all-important moisture that is needed before the process of molding and shaping can be accomplished.  Soon the reworked clay is formed into a vessel of honor, which the potter appreciates and is quite proud of; a work of art.

Seasoned potters are masters at what they do.  They understand what it takes to succeed—patience and workable clay.  Before they even begin, potters envision in their mind the finished vessel before the lump of clay is shaped into a form of beauty. 

To the natural, inexperienced eyes of those looking on, the process it takes with certain clay to make it usable is considered too much work.  The onlooker is quick to exclaim, “Throw it away; it’s of no use!  Hardened clay is a waste of time to mess with.” 

The master potter knows that patience brings forth beauty, as the rough edges are smoothed away and the areas needing substance are filled.  The potter knows that in time, the clay will take on the characteristics of the vision they had for its intended use.

If clay had vocal cords and could speak, I’m sure it would shout, “Leave me alone!  I don’t want to change!  I am what I am, just a piece of worthless clay!”  But the potter is willing to work with the clay, because of its potential. Though it appears to be a piece of valueless clay to others and to the clay itself, figuratively speaking, until someone takes the time to work with it, how can it be said that the clay is of no value?

There are times that I feel worthless and ugly when I fail to obey God’s Commandments.  Every time I allow my nose to get bent out of shape concerning this or that, it is not long before I feel the breath of God breathing upon me as He lovingly kneads me back into shape.  Once again He smoothes out the rough edges that have formed, because of disobedience.  God patiently works with me, because He sees the end result—a beautiful vessel that He is proud of.  I am of value to Him.

Quite often Christians get bent out of shape over silly things that influence the beauty of their outward appearance.  How a person feels inside ultimately affects their appearance on the outside.

God, in His position as Master Potter, knows exactly what is needed to straighten out this form of His making if we yield ourselves to the Master’s all-knowing techniques of resolving issues that take away the beauty of His most prized vessel. 

If we permit Him to fill in the cracks with more of Him, rather than us saying, “I am what I am, just a piece of worthless clay,” God will smooth out and make beautiful the vessel that He is bringing to perfection.  He desires that we continue to be used in the capacity for which we were made.

We are all precious in the sight of God.  He works patiently to perfect us into the vessel of honor that He knows we can become, even though the ugliness of our rebellion seems non-pliable at times.

The Master Potter does not give up on those that are ugly, because of sin.  He sees us in our mother’s womb even before we take on human form.  He envisions the beauty of a finished vessel that He is molding with care.  God provides the Holy Spirit to perfect and transform ugliness into a vessel of beauty through Jesus Christ.

Too often clay dries out and loses moisture, because it is not protected properly.  This is a representation of Christians that fail to protect themselves from the elements around them that try to take the all-important substance that provides pliability—the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, they must undergo the process of being broken, which is a painful process, because God refuses to give up on them. 

Sometimes Christians lose vision of their purpose as children of God, which is living the life so that others can see the beauty of Christ in them.  Better care is needed to protect ourselves from drying out and becoming like a heart of stone; not a heart of flesh or workable clay, symbolically.

(Ezekiel 36:26-27) “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”  vs.27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

Though the plan and purpose of the clay is in the potter’s mind, we must not lose focus on the plan for which God envisioned for us.  If we fail to preserve the moisture of God’s Spirit within this vessel of His making, we can become hardened.

If a Christian is not careful, like clay, they develop air bubbles (misbehavior) and hard spots (naughtiness), perhaps not seen from the outside, but when tested in the fire, or kiln of everyday living, everything hidden is exposed.  Sin is revealed sooner or later.

(Numbers 32:23), “But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.”

If you visit a potter’s workshop, you will see that the clay is protected with plastic coverings to keep in moisture.  It is wise to understand that in order to protect oneself we must always be shrouded with The Whole Armor of God, which keeps in the moisture of holiness so that we can remain pliable rather than becoming hardened; needing to be broken in the potter’s hands again.

(Isaiah 64:8), “But now, Oh Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.”

(Psalm 33:15), “He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd