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Do You Trust Him?

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (AMP) The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will make you hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and saw that he was working at the wheel. But the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled by the potter’s hand; so he made it over, reworking it and making it into another pot that seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” says the Lord. “Look carefully, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. 

As I was reading my Bible last week, I came across this text. The potter was working with clay that had already been made into something. He decided to make it into another pot, because he saw fit to make it over. God asked Israel, if He could do the same thing with them. This was a passage of hope for me. We can never be too far gone to give it back to Him. I have to keep reminding myself that I am still in the Potter’s Hands. There are two illustrations using this passage that I would like to share. I did not write them, but I thought you would enjoy reading them.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. Every break is unique and instead of repairing an item like new, the 400-year-old technique actually highlights the “scars” as a part of the design. Using this as a metaphor for healing ourselves teaches us an important lesson: Sometimes in the process of repairing things that have broken, we actually create something more unique, beautiful and resilient. (Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-japanese-art-technique-kintsugi-can-help-you-be-more-ncna866471)

When life is unfolding in hard ways, it can feel impossible to understand why God would allow hurt upon hurt. How could His mercy not fix all of this? How could He possibly use any of this for good? We see more and more unnecessary heartbreak. But God sees the exact pieces and parts that must be added right now to protect us, provide for us and prepare us with more and more of His strength working through us. I learned about these very necessary “pieces and parts” one day with a friend whose mother is a professional potter. I was sharing with her about how, when we place the dust of our shattered places into God’s hands and He mixes it with His living water, the clay that’s formed can then be made into anything. She smiled so big. She’d seen clay being formed into many beautiful things when placed into her mother’s hands. And she shared something with me that made my jaw drop. She told me that wise potters not only know how to form beautiful things from clay, but they also know how important it is to add some of the dust from previously broken pieces of pottery to the new clay. This type of dust is called “grog.” When shattered just right, the grog dust added to the new clay will enable the potter to form the clay into a larger and stronger vessel than ever before. And it can go through fires much hotter as well. Plus, when glazed, these pieces end up having a much more beautiful, artistic look to them than they would have otherwise. (Source: Lysa TerKeurst, It Is Not Supposed to Be This Way)

I love both of these illustrations. There is so much hope in knowing that I can never be so broken that I would no longer have any value. I am preparing my message for Mother’s Day. I have been doing so since God placed the topic in my heart at the first of the year. It is a message of putting our lives back into the Potter’s Hands. When God asks us, “Can I do with you as the potter does?” He is asking us, “Do you trust me?” When calamity and folly comes our way? When we do not get the house we wanted? When we did not get that job? When the bills keep piling up or the car breaks down again? Do you trust Him?

I have been the woman sobbing into my pillow at night because I was worried about where we would live. Or, I was so exhausted from everything that I could not hold it together any longer. I have to remember to be still (rest in His peace). Do you trust Him? When we have done all, stand on the promise of His Word. He will take you the rest of the way through. He will fill in the cracks. He will make it over if He has to. Trust!

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Willing Vessel

When you love someone, or something, you are willing to make an investment into it. You will take time and resources into making it successful. They want to see their dream a reality. When they have a set back they do not give up!

I never pictured myself as someone who would willingly get up and speak in front of people. I was quite reluctant and not at all good when I started doing it. Moses was the same way.

Exodus 4:10-16 (NIV) Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.

Check out the grace God gave to Moses. I would like to point out that they were still under the Abrahamic Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant of the law had not been established yet. So even in Moses imperfection, God put steps in place for Moses to be able to fulfill what He called Him to do. We will eventually see, later on, that Moses was bold in his speech.

(If we apply our life to the way things manifested from the time of the Mosaic Covenant and to the cross, then we are not walking in the fullness of this New Covenant. We need to read those passage now through the eyes of the cross. They should speak about the great need for the cross and not what we have to go through any more).

In the past, I was satisfied with setting up the church events. I did all of the prep work. I would do the research for particular people for them when they taught. I would come up with the themes for the events and do all of the preparations and then hand it over. I liked being in the background. I still do. Before church on Sundays I am there thirty minutes before my teams. I walk through the building setting up areas, making sure their tools are ready to go before they walk in the door.

What I love though is that God calls inadequate people so He can work through them. He in turn will receive the glory that is only His. I am a vessel, but I have to be a willing vessel. He uses imperfect people! I just love that. I love that in my desire to see His Kingdom established, I get to be a part of it. I am not waiting on the sidelines for Him to put me in. You may be asking, when do I get to be a part of the game? Now!

What I love though is that God calls inadequate people so He can work through them.

1 Peter 4:7-10 (NKJV) But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 4:11 (TPT) For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking his words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.

When we start to do the works of the ministry as it talks about in Ephesians 4, we will start to grow. God knew that if He could get Moses to start, Moses would start to grow. He is not asking you to have it all figured out. He is asking you to start. When we keep waiting, we are putting it on pause. I understand and know that in the Word it says to be still, or when you have done all then stand. This is not a physical reference though. This is talking about your inward, spirit being. We can become anxious in the waiting, that is what He is telling us to be still. Be at peace.

I love this verse and I will speak it over myself and you continually: 1 Corinthians 6:11-13 (MSG) Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively! Please hear my heart! I want you to live!! He wants you to live!!!

If you need prayer or someone to talk to, please message me at amanda@desiringformore.org.