PPF: The Master Potter

 "Like CLAY in the hand of a POTTER, 

so are you in my HAND..." Jeremiah 18:6

When we went to Hanoi, we went to Bat Trang, 

a pottery village well known for making 

beautiful clay pots and figurines. 

Their clay was amazingly so soft and pliable

 I couldn't resist asking for some. 

But before the clay could get that way, 

it underwent several stages of 

softening, sifting and refining.

 So it is with us.

 

 We are clay in the Master Potter's hand, 

and He is going to make of us the best masterpiece! 

That's why we go through so much in life! 

When the clay is finally soft and pliable, 

the potter puts it on a wheel which goes round and round. 

Don't you feel sometimes that we go 

through the same trials again and again? 

God allows it so we learn whatever it is He wants us to learn! 

God uses all the circumstance in our life. 

Nothing is ever put to waste. 

It can be painful, just as all the pinching and 

scraping and carving is to the clay if it could feel. 

But a Master artisan ALWAYS loves his clay. 

He is never harsh with his clay. 

His mind is fully on the clay, coaxing the clay, 

lovingly caressing it, working with its innate qualities, 

prodding forms out of it that are beautiful, 

one of a kind and unique.

And then, comes the big thing. 

The clay pot is put into the kiln! 

But this is necessary to harden the clay, 

or it won't retain its shape and cannot be used. 

Not an ounce of pain in our life is in vain. 

God wants to use us. 

That's why He gave us gifts and talents- 

so we can be a blessing to others! 

And we can help build His Kingdom on earth! 

 But we are not only useful to Him. 

He wants to make us beautiful too. 

Just as the Master artisan paints and glazes his creations, 

and puts his name on them, so too our God 

makes us beautiful and calls us His own!

Yes Lord, create something beautiful 

out of the muck, the mess, the sin in my life!

 "He did not work many MIGHTY DEEDS there

because of their lack of faith.

Matthew 13:58

I'm sure it's not that Jesus couldn't do

the mighty deeds!

It's more that his hometown people's

lack of faith, their unbelief did not 

leave room for God to work.

 

 Sometimes we are like the people

of Jesus' hometown.

We grew up believing in Jesus.

We have been Christians almost all our lives.

We go to our churches, our small groups.

We pray, we talk to Him, talk about Him.

But miracles happen to other people-

Africans, Muslims, drug dealers, people

who don't know Jesus!

And so we need to pray like the father

of the boy who was healed,

"Lord, I do believe! Help my unbelief!"

Mark 9:25

God will meet us where we are!

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Patsy