Jeremiah 18:1-4 NIV This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “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. ⁴ 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.

When clay is placed in the hands of a potter, there are several stages that it must go through in order to have the intended results of the potter.  Recently I saw a video of a potter making a tea pot.   He started out with just a lump of clay.  After putting it on the wheel, applying water, shaping it with his hands, and putting it in a kiln (oven), painting it, and putting it back in the kiln. This was necessary so that the clay will become durable and receive the desire results.  The process was long, but eventually there was beautiful tea pot.

As I read the message in Jeremiah, I thought about how we are clay and God is the potter.   God patiently works with us to get the results that he wants for us.   We too must endure the fire of trials and tribulations that we can be strong and mature.

In the bible it says: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4 NIV).

Stay in the Potter’s Hands!