Jeremiah 18:1-6: "Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter, so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make…Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand…”
For Jeremiah to get the full picture of God’s message, God sent him down to the potter’s house to observe and to hear. To observe and hear what? Jeremiah saw the ordinary, routine working practice of the potter – making a vessel. He saw the process of a vessel being marred and remade.
Some definitions of what it means to be “marred” are to be ruined, spoiled, disfigured, flawed, blemished, stained. Please note, even though the vessel was spoiled, blemished, disfigured etc, it was in the potter’s hands.
The only way a vessel can be made again is while it remains in the potter’s hands.
We are often disappointed with ourselves, the results of our choices and how our lives are today. It may well be that we are marred, that we caused ourselves to be in this state but as long as we can understand where we are – in God’s hands - there is every hope, possibility and reason for our lives to be transformed because, as God Himself says, “Look – as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand.”
The question is: will we submit to God’s way and be pliable in His hands?
Your feedback is welcome – feel free to write in with your thoughts, experiences and reflections: petraglobal@aol.com.
Written by Rev (Mrs) Marjorielyn R Campbell, Petra Global Ministries© 2006
This devotion may be reprinted, copied or distributed with the following acknowledgement shown:
“Reprinted/Copied/Distributed with the permission of:
Rev (Mrs) Marjorielyn R Campbell, Petra Global Ministries© 2006
Web: www.petraglobal.org.uk
E-mail: admin@petraglobal.org.uk"
