Do you feel ugly, worthless, useless?
Are you going through what seems like a fiery trial?
Are you needing some encouragement for your parched soul today?
I recently came across this piece of writing from my friend Jeanie. It’s beautifully encouraging. With her permission, I’m sharing it with you.
May God use it to speak into our lives today!
The Potter & The Clay
by Jeanie Albers
A lump of wet dirt; colorless, shapeless, lifeless and useless. There is no value or beauty. Left in the earth, clay is ugly and worthless.
Now consider the Master Potter. The clay is purchased by the Potter. The clay is stiff, unyielding, appearing to possess no value. But the Potter sees exactly what He wants the piece to look like. In his mind it has beauty and worth, not because of anything in the clay itself, but because He will place His beauty into it.
In His possession, the Potter applies pressure to the clay; it is squeezed, crushed and pressed hard. The more pressure applied, the more pliable the clay becomes and the Master Potter forms it into a beautiful, valuable vessel; displaying His unique character. Stunning works of art, beautiful and soon-to-be of use to the Master are formed. Still, to be fit for royal service, it must endure the fire of the kiln. The fire is necessary or the piece would shatter under use. The Master has also painted amazing beauty on the artwork, which remains invisible until the intense heat releases His design.
Who are we? Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 64:8 “…We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.” Before His hand is upon us we are lifeless clay, dead to God, shapeless, and useless. We have no beauty when left to ourselves. God, the Master Potter, purchases us in that useless state. We are rigid and ugly. Once purchased we are His, but not yet useful to Him until He presses, squeezes, removes the impurities and shapes us.
He places Christ’s beauty in us, but it won’t show without the fire of tribulations. The adversities we trust Him through will burn into us the perseverance and proven character needed for Kingdom work. Consider the Father’s hands around our lives; know with a vibrant, confident expectation, that the reward of such testing produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result (James 1:3). He will form us into a vessel He can use for His Kingdom work—a work of art as Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are His workmanship, His artwork, created in Christ Jesus!”
What joy can be ours in tribulation! What meaning to life! What confidence as we feel the Master’s hands around us, forming us into the likeness of His Son, our Lord! Remain under His hand, subjected to His will for His glory! We can face adversity that is painful, frustrating and disappointing, knowing it is producing perseverance!
Through God’s grace, faith in His Word and reliance on His power, we can remain faithful and obedient to be used for His Kingdom work and receive His great reward.
Have a blessed day!
Julie
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