A Work In Progress

II CORINTHIANS 4:7 - BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY TO SHOW THAT THIS ALL-SURPASSING POWER IS FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US. WE ARE HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, BUT NOT CRUSHED; PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; PERSECUTED, BUT NOT ABANDONED; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED. WE ALWAYS CARRY AROUND IN OUR BODY THE DEATH OF JESUS, SO THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS MAY ALSO BE REVEALED IN OUR BODY.

JEREMIAH 18:3-6 - SO I WENT DOWN TO THE POTTER'S HOUSE, AND I SAW HIM WORKING AT THE WHEEL. 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. THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ME: "O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, CAN I NOT DO WITH YOU AS THE POTTER DOES?" DECLARES THE LORD. "LIKE CLAY IN THE HAND OF THE POTTER, SO ARE YOU IN MY HAND..."

ISAIAH 64:8 - YET, O LORD, YOU ARE OUR FATHER. WE ARE THE CLAY, YOU ARE THE POTTER; WE ARE ALL THE WORK OF YOUR HAND.


I have always treasured these verses. It always puts into perspective the reality of what we are in the hands of an Almighty and Gracious God.

God is the Creator of the created. God is the Artist with the canvas. God is the Potter with the clay.
We are the creatures He spoke and brought into existence. We are the canvas upon which he paints His story for our lives. We are the clay with which He forms and shapes our wills to become His Will, leaving His very fingerprints on our souls.

Who are we to question His plan? Who are we to question His ways? Who are we to question His timing? Who are we to question His counsel?

We are simply jars of clay. And yet, hope beyond hope..... we have this treasure in our earthen vessels. Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory, has filled us with the Holy Spirit. Against all odds, we will live, we will rise up, we will praise the ONE who made us for His purposes.

He shapes us as seems best to Him. And that is our glory. That what He does to us and in us is for HIS glory, and for our best, therefore it is good. It is awesome.

Our lives are a journey. God takes us day by day, step by step, and change by change along this heaven bound path. He takes a plain jar of clay and by the power of His spoken Word and the will of His predestined plan, we are made holy and useful. It means that we are always in the palm of our Heavenly Father as He is lovingly crafting our lives. There is never a moment where what is happening to us is outside of His will.
Yes! This IS awesome news.
He is the Potter, and we are the Clay.
Praise God today for His mighty work in you!

Another beautiful song. :-)