The Potter and the Clay
By Kim Kee Lee Translated by Joy Cao
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. (Jeremiah 18:1-4, NkJV)
The Lord’s Kindness and forbearance
As the potter cherishes every lump of clay, patiently and carefully molding it to a pleasing pot when it is still moldable, the Lord treasures every one of us, always dealing with us with kindness and forbearance.
God, full of goodness, mercy, patience, loves us with His everlasting love. Neither life, nor death, nor our weakness and rebellion will be able to separate us from the love of God.
“For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54: 7-8)
God’s Dominion
The potter has the absolute dominion to mold the clay into containers or pots that satisfy him.
Likewise, God has sovereign dominion over all Christians. God is not asking for our permissions, instead He is reminding us of a fact that He can mold every individual according to His own will.
God’s Dominion and Man’s obedience
God’s sovereign dominion doesn’t hinder man from choosing obedience or rebellion. This is neither about destiny, nor saying that God’s dominion is subjected to man’s choice to obey Him or not. God makes man have a choice.
The point is whether we are willing to submit under God’s authority and let Him shape us according to His will, or we want to follow our own heart?
God mold believers at the wheel of life
Life is like a turning wheel, keeping spinning around. In the spinning process, our life has its ups and downs. And God shape us in those ups and downs. In the process of molding, sometimes we may feel comfortable and enjoyable as if we undergone a message, while sometimes we may feel distressed and painful.
God doesn’t need to ask for man’s permission to make His plan, and He doesn’t have to explain why He does this or that. But when it’s necessary the Lord reveals his plan in different ways and makes people do His will.
Obedience and turning back from iniquities is a realization of God’s goodness. He hones me and also helps me. And He hones me because He loves me.
God shapes His believers because He has mercy on failures and is willing to reuse those who turn back to Him. Only those who sober up spiritually and turn back to the Lord obediently can witness God’s grace.
By Kim Kee Lee Translated by Joy Cao
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. (Jeremiah 18:1-4, NkJV)
The Lord’s Kindness and forbearance
As the potter cherishes every lump of clay, patiently and carefully molding it to a pleasing pot when it is still moldable, the Lord treasures every one of us, always dealing with us with kindness and forbearance.
God, full of goodness, mercy, patience, loves us with His everlasting love. Neither life, nor death, nor our weakness and rebellion will be able to separate us from the love of God.
“For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54: 7-8)
God’s Dominion
The potter has the absolute dominion to mold the clay into containers or pots that satisfy him.
Likewise, God has sovereign dominion over all Christians. God is not asking for our permissions, instead He is reminding us of a fact that He can mold every individual according to His own will.
God’s Dominion and Man’s obedience
God’s sovereign dominion doesn’t hinder man from choosing obedience or rebellion. This is neither about destiny, nor saying that God’s dominion is subjected to man’s choice to obey Him or not. God makes man have a choice.
The point is whether we are willing to submit under God’s authority and let Him shape us according to His will, or we want to follow our own heart?
God mold believers at the wheel of life
Life is like a turning wheel, keeping spinning around. In the spinning process, our life has its ups and downs. And God shape us in those ups and downs. In the process of molding, sometimes we may feel comfortable and enjoyable as if we undergone a message, while sometimes we may feel distressed and painful.
God doesn’t need to ask for man’s permission to make His plan, and He doesn’t have to explain why He does this or that. But when it’s necessary the Lord reveals his plan in different ways and makes people do His will.
Obedience and turning back from iniquities is a realization of God’s goodness. He hones me and also helps me. And He hones me because He loves me.
God shapes His believers because He has mercy on failures and is willing to reuse those who turn back to Him. Only those who sober up spiritually and turn back to the Lord obediently can witness God’s grace.