The Potter and Me

I took a short nap today...because I have been feeling very sleepy the last couple of days. Sometimes, God will speak to me through dreams or when I am asleep. Today, I heard Him loud and clear. He kept saying to me over and over throughout a dream which I do not remember...."The clay does not ask the potter - What are you making?" Those of you who are unfamilar with scripture might not have any idea where this would come from....but the Bible speaks of the relationship between a potter and the clay that He is molding. He is creative and is forming a masterpiece out of something that formerly had no shape or recognition as anything.

Isaiah 45:8-10 (NASB):

"Drip down, O heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness spring up with it. I, the Lord, have created it. Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker--An earthenware vessel among the vessels of the earth! Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?' Or the thing you are making say 'He has no hands'? Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' Or to a woman, 'To what are you giving birth?'

This season I have been going through has probably been the hardest one ever since meeting and accepting Christ in my life. God has had to wade through old emotional scars, my lack of trust for others, my stubborness, my laziness, and my pride (and probably a lot more!) God is revealing parts of my heart that are dark and ugly....and causing my sinfulness to become visible. He is bringing it out as part of the potter/clay molding process. In order for him to create his intended masterpiece, He has to continually work with the clay (ME) which can be stubborn and often fall apart.

It is a wonder in itself that He ever took on the project to begin with....but even worse, He has the clay always asking Him "What are you doing? Why is this happening this way? Why aren't you doing it this other way? Why does your touch often hurt? The scripture He gave me in my dream clearly states "Woe...." to people like me. He is warning me against my continual doubt of His perfect nature, and His strength and ability to complete the work He has begun in me. What I need to do instead is start trusting God and stop asking so many questions. Is asking questions a bad thing? No, in prayer, God can give guidance....and He should be asked for direction in our lives in everything we do. What I should NOT be doing is questioning His judgment and His direction for my life. It is a totally different thing. I have been hypocritical lately in that I have judged others for doing the exact same thing I am doing.....and for any of you that recognize this in me, I am sorry. That is my sinful nature coming through....

The Bible says:

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB):

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

So, my encouragement to you from the deepest parts of my heart is that next time something does not go the way you hoped or expected, and you have put your faith in God as the potter of your shapeless life (clay)....remember, that it is HIS work that will be completed, not YOURS. When we surrender our lives to Christ, we hand our lives to Him and ask Him to help us. We ask Him to guide and save us. We DIE to ourselves, and our own wants and desires. Sometimes, this means that the life God intends for you will not be everything that you had imagined....and sometimes, He will give you the desires of you heart in the most amazing way possible. What I have learned in the past couple of months is to not get offended by God when He takes my life down a different road that I expect.

Matthew 11:6 (NKJV):

"And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

Phillipians 1:3-6 (NKJV):

"I thank God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."

James 1:2-5 (NKJV):

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

Everything we are going through as Christians is for our OWN GOOD, and the glory of God. Even when things seem to be completely wrong and going in the opposite direction of what is expected, we still need to keep our hope and faith in Jesus Christ. He is working something in us that is beyond our comprehension. I need to stop doubting God's plans for my life, and just "get with the program."

Lord,

I thank you today for your vast mercy and patience with me, your child. I thank you that you put up with my doubt and my complaints, and my foul mouth which be perverse to your ways at times. I thank you for the work you have begun and will complete in my life. I thank you that you will never leave me nor forsake me, even though I do not deserve in the slightest bit to have you by my side. I ask today that you would speak a fresh word from your lips into the hearts of the people reading this blog, and bless them richly in the name of Jesus. I pray that you would continually guide them into truth and knowledge of salvation that comes only through You. Thank you God! Please help me, God, to cast away all doubt in my mind and to follow you without needing explanation of your plan. Please help me to grow in You, and to do Your will on earth as it is in heaven. Bless your name, O God! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.


Clay in the Potter's Hand,

Sarah