(Note: This speech was originally presented to the Shanghai
International
Church)
The Potter and the Clay--Part 1
(by Michael Krigline, August 2001)
(click here for part 2)
Not long ago, our son
Andrew got the chance to get dirty at the National Pottery Museum in Hangzhou. First, a skilled potter showed us how easy it was to turn dirt
into a thing of beauty. Then Andrew tried it, and we learned
that—well—it isn’t as easy as it looks! Andrew’s first attempt soon
began to wobble out of control, and the potter had to come, squeeze the
clay back into a lump, and start over again. This time, he kept his
skilled hands next to my son’s, and the result showed the difference.
It was much like the scene
Jeremiah reports in Jeremiah 18. You may turn there if you wish, but I
will refer to a number of passages, so you might just want to write them
down so you can look them up later. I will begin reading in Jeremiah 18:
verse one.
Jeremiah 18: 1The
word which came to Jeremiah from the
Lord, saying: 2“Arise and go down to the potter’s house,
and there I will cause you to hear My words.” 3Then I went down
to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.
4And 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. 5Then the word of the
Lord came to me, saying: 6“O house of Israel, can
I not do with you as this potter?” says the
Lord. “Look, as the clay
is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of
Israel!”
The image of God as Potter,
and us as the clay, only appears in scripture a few times. Nonetheless, we
readily embrace this image, and widely employ it in poetry and song. Why?
I think the answer lies in how much we can identify with the PROCESS
and the PROPERTIES of pottery.
The source of earthen
vessels is earth. Common clay is extracted and cleaned. Only then can the
potter transform it into a thing of use and beauty.
Likewise, the Bible says we
are made of dust or clay. Genesis 2:7 says Adam was created from the dust.
Job, the Bible’s oldest book,
says, “Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity; ...
Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay" (Job 10: 8-9).
Similarly, David speaks of being brought up out of the “miry clay” (Ps.
40:2), and Isaiah writes (64:8) “But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we
are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.”
The Bible also clearly uses
the image of our clay-like-ness to remind us of God’s superiority and
sovereignty. This is the theme in Isaiah 29:15-16, Isaiah 45:9, and
Romans 9:14-24 where Paul writes: 20“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?” 21Does not the potter
have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor
and another for dishonor?”
So, we are like pottery, in
that our frame is useless dirt, until it is found, chosen, and washed, by
the God who has decided to seek, chose, and cleanse us.
Secondly, we can identify
with the PROCESS of being molded. The spinning wheel may sometimes terrify
us. Few of us enjoy being “changed.” But God loves us too much to leave us
as He finds us! And like the potter that Jeremiah observed, God often
makes use of His right to “start over” with us at various stages of our
lives. Some imperfection, or some change in His own need of us, makes it
necessary to squeeze the clay back into a lump, and reshape it according
to His will. This was basically what Jeremiah was trying to say to the
leaders of Israel, and it applied to nations as well as it applied to
individuals.
Next, like clay sealed by a
potter, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 1:22, Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30).
Seals were important in antiquity for a number of reasons, and pottery in
particular is sealed in two ways. First, the potter has a special seal—or
chop—which he stamps on the vessels he fashions. Secondly, fine porcelain
is sealed with a glaze to make it watertight and to enhance its beauty and
durability. The Holy Spirit’s seal is like both of these. He seals us with
a coating of godliness that makes us better able to weather the storms of
life, and He seals us with the very Name of God. Pottery collectors can
determine the worth of a vase or other piece by its seal. Vessels “sealed”
for use by the Emperor are considered far more valuable than ordinary
pottery. That is good news for Christians, who are “sealed” by the Holy
Spirit, and are chosen for use by the King of Kings!
Finally, we can identify
with the pottery PROCESS in relation to the Kiln. Temperatures inside
these ovens reach 1000 degrees Celsius, but without undergoing this heat,
pottery is really little more than dry dirt. The heat makes it durable and
useful. Some pottery is actually fired several times, depending on the
kind of glaze or artwork involved, and depending on the intended purpose
of the vessel. We too must go through the fire. In fact, 1 Peter 4:12 says
we should not consider these “fiery trials” strange. It is part of the
process by which the Master Potter makes us durable and useful.
I said that we embrace the
image of God as our “potter” because we can identify with both the PROCESS
and the PROPERTIES of pottery. So let’s move briefly to the subject of its
properties.
First, pottery dishes and
pitchers are not simply washed once! They are cleaned daily. Likewise, the
Lord taught us to pray daily to be washed or forgiven from sin, even as we
are to pray for daily bread. (Matt 6:12)
Secondly, handmade pottery
is both beautiful & unique. No two pieces are ever identical. It is also
true that what is beautiful to one person may not seem so beautiful to
another. That is why we are not to worry about our neighbor’s evaluation
of our beauty. God is our potter. He has made each of us unique, and to
Him we are all beautiful.
Thirdly, pottery is both
useful and valuable. Gideon used clay pots to help him defeat his enemies
(Judges 7). The Bible connected many Old Testament sacrifices with earthen
vessels. And twice, Paul connects the varied uses of pottery with the
variety of roles humans perform.
So, the Lord not only sees us as uniquely beautiful, He also assigns each
of us a unique purpose. It is no use for a vase to try to be a cup, and I
am likewise foolish if I try to imitate YOUR place in the Church while
ignoring mine. And what can I say of the priceless value God the Father places on
human beings? We have been counted as worth enough for Him to redeem us
with the precious blood of Jesus!
Pottery is also durable. We
see this in Jeremiah 32 (verse14), and it is also clear the moment one
walks into just about any museum! The exhibits are filled with pottery
that proclaims the glory of past dynasties and cultures, long after the
potter’s wheel is still. In the same way, although our Potter’s molding
and firing will only last a lifetime, we will abide forever as a testimony
to His grace and as “containers” of His glory.
Finally, the Bible contains
numerous references to the fragility of pottery. (Gideon in Judges 7;
Eliphaz in Job 4:18-20; Job in Job 10:9; Ps 2: 9; Ps 22:15; Isa 30:14; Jer
19:1-13; Daniel 2:41-45; Rev 2:26).
In some ways, I think this is the property of pottery that we can identify
with most! We all feel fragile, especially in areas of Christian service.
Who can live up to the perfection God demands? Who can feel up to the task
of being an Ambassador for Almighty God? But perhaps we should look at it
a different way. What gives fine China such an enduring value if it is not
the fact that it is equally fragile?
I believe this is the heart
of the often-quoted passage that was up here next to the picture of my
son. 2 Cor 4:7 says: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that
the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” Paul concludes
this passage by saying: 15“For all things are for your
sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving
to abound to the glory of God.” or as CEV puts it: (v4.15)“…so that more
and more people will know how kind God is and will praise and honor him.”
(CEV)
God knows we are fragile,
but does not see it as a liability. To Him, it is an asset, for it makes
it easier for mankind to see Him in us and through our service!
So, God is the potter, and
we are the clay. We embrace this truth because we can identify with the
process by which pottery is made, and the properties inherent in the
finished product. We are made of clay, molded by skilled hands, sealed by
the Spirit, and made useful through times of fiery trial. Like pottery, we
must be washed repeatedly from the grime of sin. We are uniquely
beautiful, useful and valuable in God’s eyes. We are durable—lasting
forever as “containers” of His glory. And finally we are fragile—so that
our lives will always point to the greatness of God.
(I closed the
speech by singing "Earthen Vessels"--a song that an earthen vessel might
sing as it sits in the house of the Master Potter.)
Earthen Vessels (Michael Krigline, 1992)
1. From earthen pit He took me; my grime He washed away;
The Potter lumped me on His shelf to watch, hope & pray.
What an honor just to sit there, midst treasures by the score:
But soon He placed me on His wheel to sit unused no more.
2. At first I spun in terror, “Don’t change me, Sir,” I cried;
But as He worked with skill & grace my fear gave way to pride.
A spout—a handle; “Now I see!” “I’ll be the toast of men!”
But hopes were dashed and faith was born as He started over again.
3. Someday I’ll be more useful, once fire and glaze make strong:
The Potter’s seal will give me worth; His praise will be my song.
Until then I need not worry, though He change me every day,
For I’ve come to know the Potter’s touch and I trust Him with the clay.
4. He seeks out those abandoned, filling downcast hearts with zeal.
Broken vessels are His pride— They show His power to heal.
When days at last are endless, and the Potter’s wheel is
still,
His glory shall abide in me and all who did His will.
Chorus:
God puts His treasure in earthen vessels,
Christ pours His pow’r through jars made clean each day
May I be sanctified
That Jesus be glorified
Through this chosen vessel made of clay.
This song was recorded in 2002.
If you would like a free mp3 file of the song, please write to me. (The
address is on the home page)
(click here for part 2 of
this series--"This Treasure")
© 2001 Michael Krigline. As far as I am concerned, people are allowed to print
or copy
this article, or link to it, for personal or classroom use.
(see Website Standards and Use Policy)
Scriptures quoted are primarily from The Holy Bible, New King James
Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
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www.ccci.org/whoisjesus/interactive-journey
