Lump of clay     

Tuesday, August 25

Lump of clay     

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.’ Isaiah 64:8

Pottery involves taking a lump of clay working with it and molding it into a beautiful vessel. I did some reading about the process and am now aware of the fact that it looks much easier than one would anticipate.

Here are some details; before a potter starts with his vessel, he needs to decide what kind of clay is needed. It turns out some kinds of clay are easier to work with and mold than others, and the type of clay the potter chooses will determine the temperature needed to bake and harden the vessel. The potter also must first decide the purpose and shape of the vessel he will be making. In order to get the desired results, the potter will put into the work to knead, press and roll the clay, spin it around and shape it carefully on the potter’s wheel, and cut off any excess bits that would spoil a perfectly crafted vessel.

After shaping the clay vessel, he will need to bake it in a special oven, ensuring that it is hardened and reinforced by the intense heat. If the vessel is not properly baked, the interior will not be able to retain its contents, as it will lose its shape and leak. The potter also knows just how long and intense the firing process would need to be for that particular vessel to reach the maturing stage.

This sounds very intense and also has many parallels to our spiritual life. In Isaiah 64:8 God is described as a potter: ‘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.’

When God, my ‘Potter’, made me, He knew exactly what was required in order to form me into the person He has called me to be so that I can carry out His perfect plan for my life.

Today, consider it pure joy as the Potter continues to mold you into the perfect vessel designed for His purpose.