CLAY IN THE HANDS OF THE BELOVED POTTER

Jeremiah 18:6, my reading for today, tells us about the House of Israel in Jeremiah's time. Israel had turned from obeying the Lord in order to do their own thing. Verse 6  follows: ""Oh House of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the Lord.  "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O House of Israel.""


Things were a mess in Israel. Here the people are, remnants of those Moses brought through the wilderness, having being fed,  comforted, given hope for a safe land for themselves, and yet over the generations they had forgotten God's goodness. Now, they wanted to be like other nations and forget worshipping God.  The gods of other nations seemed a whole lot more attractive to them.


What does the Study say about these lost folks?  "As the potter molded or shaped a clay pot on the potter's wheel, defects often appeared.  The potter had power over the clay to permit the defects to remain or to reshape the pot.  Likewise, God had the power to reshape the nation of Israel to conform to His purposes." I


"God, however, chose not to reshape Israel, as He had become angered with them.  But, God still has the power to reshape you and me today. Our strategy should not be to become mindless and passive--one aspect of clay--but to be willing and receptive to God's impact on us.  As we yield to God, He begins re-shaping us into valuable vessels."


I believe God was hoping Israel would seek Him and obey Him again, as it had been in earlier days.  But, He could see Israel had doomed itself by doing evil in God's sight and refused to obey God.  God turned against Israel in Jeremiah's day and punished Israel because they would not turn from their own stubbornness.


Again, the Study:  "Left unchecked, stubbornness becomes a way of life hostile to God."


Personally, I was stubborn for a long time about a change God was trying to make in me. I didn't recognize He was trying to teach me of my pride.  I would grow angry toward anyone who made the slightest criticism of me or of what I was doing.  It is wrong to be stubborn, and wrong to reject criticism which is meant to be helpful.


I pray that I will seek the Holy Spirit for help when the wrongness of my spirit begins to feel agitated.  I'll gladly say, "Holy Spirit, check my stubbornness and give me the grace to accept these words and what they imply that I may use them to give this person grace and love."


For In HIs Name , I do have Grace and Love for whomever crosses my path.


May it be so, Lord Jesus!


Jo of MN, says "Hello again, friend."