But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
Romans 9:20
Did you know that according to CBC.ca the most expensive porcelain in the World, Qing Dynasty Porcelain is worth $84 Million? What’s porcelain? After all it’s clay. The process of pottery is tedious and lengthy, it requires skill and the various stages are planning, the clay is kneaded, pulled, pushed , is put on the potter’s wheel, moistened, spun on the wheel, glazing, and firing in very high temperature before a product is ready for sale. It takes thousands of hours before a potter could master this skill, he works with his sensitive, artistic fingers. He has a plan as to what he wants to create. The price of the finished product will depend whether it carries the seal of Noritake or Bernardaud, etc.
God is asking in the above verse can’t He do what He wants like the potter? Gen 2:7 says the Lord God took dust of the ground in His hand and formed man, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The God of the universe, the Great potter Himself formed man with His own hand. He had a definite plan when He formed us, (Jer 29:11) to prosper us. As a potter shapes a pot according to the plan he has in his mind, he may punch, roll, pinch, pull and spin on the wheel, the shape that he has in mind.
His efficient hands shape it until he gets the desired effect. So also, the Great potter puts us on the potter’s wheel to shape us through various situations and circumstances so that we take the shape, He has in mind. We often complain, crib and cry when we are in such situations, we may not be pliable which makes it difficult for Him to shape us. This eternal God who spoke this world with His one word did not just dump us there but, He cares enough to look into the details of our life and shape us accordingly.
The pot undergoes firing in very high temperature and so do we sometimes, but the fourth one who was with Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego is with us too. (Dan 3:25“…the form of the fourth is like theSon of God.”) We have a choice, He didn’t create us as robots, we can choose to surrender ourselves into His hands to shape our lives for His glory and our good or choose to rebel which leads to destruction.
No matter who discards us the Great potter won’t throw us away, he can still build from our ruins, only He can!! (Amos 9:11-13) And when He seals us with His brand name, then we become priceless. (Eze 9:4-6, 2 Cor 1:22). So, won’t you trust Him and let Him shape you while you pass through the waters and the fire? He knows what He is doing, He is in absolute control.
Prayer
Loving heavenly Father, we trust you in our situations, help us to be pliable in Your mighty Hands to be shaped according to Your will for Your glory,
in Jesus name!
Amen!
Sol.Lalitha Menon