The Potter's Hand

The Potter’s Hands

 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. Jeremiah 18:2-3 NIV.

I had the opportunity to visit Heritage Farms in Waco, TX with my family.  It has a fully sustaining Amish style community.  There was a knitting house which included spindles for making thread from cotton and wool.  There was a black smith shop in which they were heating, molding and shaping farm instruments. There was the farm element and basket weaving.  There was an active gristmill with power being supplied by a water wheel.  There was also a potter’s house. The picture in this article were the hands of the potter that I saw.

The main idea from the text is the potter changes his purpose for the clay because it became marred.  God uses the illustration for nations and not individuals.  Let that sink in for a moment…God has a purpose of good for each nation to fulfill.  That is enough to move us to intercede for our nation and cry out for mercy.  God in his grace can also reshape the clay as He sees fit.  For us, we can know that NO sinful action is outside of the bounds of his reshaping us.

I want to draw your attention today to another aspect of watching the potter’s hand.  I noticed that the hands get the clay and the water on them.  There is no other way for the potter to shape the clay.  He must personally feel and shape the clay with his fingers.  NO glove.  When those fingers press the clay to shape it, some of the clay forms on the potter’s hands.

There exists an intimacy that Jesus has in shaping our lives.

1.     Jesus is personally involved.  “lo, I will be with you always.”  Jesus doesn’t use babysitters for His children.  He is with you.

2.     Jesus bears the marks of our sin.  He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.  1 Peter 2:24 NLT

3.     Jesus is working out His plan for us.  For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time--to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:9 NLT

4.     Jesus is always interceding for you, right now. Who then will condemn us? No one--for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. Romans 8:34 NLT

In this intimacy that Jesus shares with us, he speaks.  Jeremiah went to observe the potter in order that God would reveal something to him.  I am praying that the Holy Spirit whispers to you throughout your day.  May you hear the voice of you heavenly Father as he teaches you from the world that He created.

Blessings