The work of a potter moulding the clay at his wheel is well understood as a Biblical analogy of the relationship between God and us, His people, because the basics of the potter's craft have changed very little over the centuries.

Jeremiah 18:4 – 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.

The marred pot is crushed and the moulding is started over. The potter makes something else instead. This is an example of recycling at its finest. God doesn't make anything for the sole purpose of destroying it – there is no waste in life. Sometimes we hear people say, "All that work – all those years – all those tears – what a waste!" But in God's economy, there is nothing wasted. The toil, the strife, the agony, the life marred or broken, are all useful for making whatever God is wanting to make out of us or others. In fact, in the hands of the Master Craftsman, and with our compliance with His plan, He can work the greatest wrecks into the most amazing works of divine beauty. All we have to do is give Him permission to do His work in His way.

Prayer: Lord, sometimes I feel bruised and broken, as if there is no hope. Re-make me, Lord, into that vessel of divine beauty, that You can see in me. Amen.

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About the author:

Robin Ross <rross@telus.net>
Mission, British Columbia, Canada
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