The Master Potter’s Touch
I’ll never forget the impact Anne had on my life. Our paths crossed when I invited her to teach clay modeling to a group of campers at a summer Bible camp. As she shared her passion for working with clay, I was struck by her story. Just months prior, she had lost her 15-year-old son, who was born with mental challenges due to brain damage at birth. Caring for him had been a difficult journey, but working with clay had been her solace. Through her brokenness, God had created something beautiful.
Shaping Young Hearts
Anne agreed to return to the camp several times to teach the art of clay modeling. On her first day, she gave each camper a lump of soft gray clay, and after brief instructions, let them create their own unique vessels. The results were astonishing – an assortment of vases, pots, and dishes of various shapes and sizes. Anne instructed me to store them in a warm, dry place until her next visit. However, in the chaos of my daily routine, I forgot about them until the day of her return.
Cracked but Not Broken
When I checked on the clay pots, I was dismayed to find that almost every one had developed cracks. I apologized to Anne, feeling like I had failed. But she surprised me with her calm response: “Oh, that’s okay, we can easily repair them.” As she worked her magic, repairing each pot, she shared a profound truth: “This is how God works with each of us. We too, often find ourselves cracked and broken, but God, the master potter, fills the cracks and makes us beautiful.”
A Biblical Perspective
The Bible reminds us of Jeremiah’s visit to the potter’s house (Jeremiah 18:1-6), where he watched the potter mold a vessel from soft clay. When the vessel was marred, the potter reworked it, creating something beautiful. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 4:7, we are referred to as jars of clay, vessels in which God’s glory dwells. It’s clear that we are all in the potter’s house, being shaped and molded by God’s hands.
Mending Brokenness
Peter’s story in the Bible comes to mind. After denying Jesus before his crucifixion, Peter must have felt like his relationship with the Lord was beyond repair. But Jesus met him again after his resurrection, gently calling him back and touching his brokenness. Peter went on to become a person of great influence and blessing to the early church. God had repaired his brokenness, making him a vessel of honor and blessing.
An Invitation to the Potter’s House
As we journey through life, God offers us a choice: to become clay in his hands. When we invite him into our lives, he lovingly begins his work of molding us, making us into vessels of honor and blessing. We can come to him with our cracks and brokenness, and he will create something beautiful out of our lives. Even when we’ve made a mess of things, God can repair and bring healing, displaying his glory through us.
A Prayer of Surrender
Will you meet God at the Potter’s House? You can do so right now through prayer. Here’s a suggested prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Mold me into the kind of person you want me to be.”
He promises to begin his work of molding and making you into a vessel of honor and blessing.
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