The Clay Pot

I have been thinking about clay pots particularly since hearing the song "The Potter Knows The Clay". Did you know there are only 4 kinds of clay but 30 plus varieties? I did not know this. I have also found out the firing hear and time is different depending on if you are firing a fine ceramic piece or a jug. Each piece also has a different time around the wheel depending on what you are making, how big it will be and how much shaping is done.

I have thought about the marred spot in the, "⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands;" Jer. 18:4a; TNIV and have found out that if you leave that spot it is the weakest area of the vessel because a strong network and bridges have not been formed.  In this case the potter just formed another pot and sometimes that is the better action instead of trying to fix the marred area. I liken to this as my early years walking with the Lord in that learning stage where I accepted so many things as gospel only to find out later that it was not quite. Over the years beliefs, attitudes and doctrine has been chipped away and reshaped.

He may reshape us during the years into a useable pot working out the marred spots or starting over and making a new pot. Into this pot he puts that treasure for us to carry, share, announce and spread around. Many times I have died to something so that I might live the gospel and Jesus' life is revealing itself in my mortal body causing me the desire to be more Christ-like. I am grateful for the remodeling and reshaping.
^"7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body." 2 Cor 4:7; 11 TNIV

I have also researched reclaiming the clay. I found out if a jar is too cracked, chipped or broken it can be broken and crushed and soaked in water and then spread on a marble table to dry out some of the water and then used to shape another pot. I looked this up after I came across the song, "He Doesn't Throw the Clay Away." Again I have notices that He does not throw us away no matter how far away from we go, how angry we get with him, or how often we reject Him. When the pot becomes to broken and shattered He reclaims the clay and makes another vessel to put us back into his service and life and to continue to mold and shape us to be more like His Son and one day I will be fully like Jesus. He is shaping me to extend my life in His kingdom and community. He is shaping me into a vessel of honor.
^"20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.  ²¹If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." 1 Tim 2:20-21TNIV Preparing me to do good works I am not able to imagine at this point in time. A vessel to carry out the work Jesus began here on earth so many years ago.

Becoming this vessel of honor has not been easy but uncomfortable and very painful at times. I have rebelled, ran, and rejected what God has wanted to do in my life. I have resented how others have seem to have had it so "good" and life seems to be coming together for them despite their hard times. I have resented the place on the potter's wheel that He has had me and complained of being dizzy from the turning. Yet I am only seeing this pot from the inside out. I have not always submitted to God's will. I only know a piece of what is happening in my life now.

As of yet I must not be done because when I am I will have a beautiful design. Of course the completeness is not revealed this side of heaven I don't think when I shall finally be like my Savior but the Father has kept working on me. Some days it is easier to submit that other days and when I do the day is nice. Some days I feel that I am submitting but don't know why. The submission is the key. The chorus of "The Potter Knows the Clay goes like this;  

"But the Potter knows the clay/
How much pressure it can take/
How many times around the wheel/
‘Til there’s submission to His will/
he’s planned a beautiful design/
but it’ll take some fire and time/
its gonna be okay/
‘cause the Potter knows the clay/" by Marcia Henry and Allie Lapointe I see this in my life so much and He sees, He knows, and it is gonna be okay.