Day 38 - The rest of the story
Scripture focus: This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:1-4 NIV
My husband and I have been having a series of discussions about God's love for us. He's concerned that when I talk about God's delight in us, and his mercy and grace toward us - we might not be getting the whole story. He wants me to make sure that while I'm reminding us that every single human is God's favorite kid, that's not the same thing as saying that none of us should be concerned with "the rest of the story." Pete is right - there is more to the story! (But give me a break, I can't fit it all in on one page or one Sunday message!)
Here's the deal. Knowing that God loves us - that he is the potter and we are the clay - that God is loving, merciful, gracious and JUST - AND God dreams big dreams for us - AND he calls us to holy living - all that stuff is true. AND IT SHOULD INFORM EVERY SINGLE DECISION WE MAKE EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY. If all these things are true, then when we face suffering and hardship, bad behaving and hard times - what we think, feel, believe and DO ought to be informed by who God is and who we are as his kids. Sometimes what we believe doesn't transfer into informing how we live. This is bad news and shouldn't be taken lightly.
Notice today's verse. "But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands" If God is the potter, and we are the clay then this verse reminds us that it is possible to be the apple of God's eye AND marred simultaneously.
Continue with the verse - "so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him."
Anytime our lives do not reflect God's prevailing purposes - we're a cracked pot. We're marred. And that's bad - but not the end of the story. God will take us and throw us back on the wheel. He'll form us into another pot, shaping us as he sees fit. He'll turn us into a water pitcher or an ashtray, a decorative bowl or a serving dish - as he sees fit.
Surrendering to the reality of our "cracked-potted-ness" informs how we suffer. It requires that we humble ourselves to the process. Spinning around on that potter's wheel may leave us dizzy and a bit seasick. But it's part of the process. In tomorrow's devotional, we're going to begin a conversation about some of the common ways we try to throw ourselves off the wheel before God's finished with us.
Recommended reading: Exodus 26 and 27 in the morning; Psalm 30 in the evening
1 comment:
I'm at the point where I'd rather be marred and being in the process of "reshapement" than to act like I'm exactly where God wants me and have reached full maturity. I'm also glad to know that no one else is, either.
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