Jeremiah 18:1-10

Jeremiah 18:1-10

It is a short hike from the top of Mt. Whitney (highest spot in the lower 48) to Death Valley (the lowest place). It is a short 50 mile hike. As I was walking in Death Valley I came across a patch of clay. Not all desert is sand, and in this spot was clay, hot, dried and cracked. With the help of a pick and a few hours work enough is dug out for an art project. Soaking it in water for a few weeks while beating it with a hammer made it useful again. With this clay I applied all my pottery skill and got a D on the project.

Jeremiah is lead by God to the potter’s house. He watches as a pot is being made, then crushed and remade. It is shaped and reshaped until the potter is finished.

Jeremiah is told several things that are important for all of us.

 

1. First is that God is the potter and we are the clay.

            We do not mold and shape God by our design, that is idol making.

            The world around us and even many Christians are in the God making

            Isa 29:16 God ask the question “Who made Who?”

 

2. We must cooperate with God

            The pot is marred because part of the clay was not pliable.

            We are pushed down to the wheel and raised back up

            As the potter desires

            Isa 45:9 “What do you think you’re doing”

            “I want to be a vase not a vase. “

 

3.  The potter has a reason.

            Describe the person with one word, possible, unfinished, clay, potential.

            God is still at work

            Be the clay

            Isa 64:8 you are the work of the potter’s hand

 

Will you soak up the water of life, leave behind your hard dried out life and attitudes? Will you become pliable, moldable? Will you dare to place yourself on the potter’s wheel and say “God, I am willing, make of me what you will.” You may be surprised to find that you really are a vase not a vase.