This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 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. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

I had a conversation with my eldest daughter tonight and we were talking about the skills and abilities we are given in life.  I told her that early in my life, I thought one of the greatest ways God would use me was through music.  I had a good voice, was trained classically in college and sang some solos for churches early on.  But now at 49, I have realized that God had other plans for me and the gifts he had given me.  I still enjoy singing at church, but it is and has mostly been from the pew. Instead, he is using my abilities to pray for others and write devotionals lately.  (I didn’t even know I would bless people through devotionals until recently).  This is an example of how God works.  We are like clay in his hands.  Israel learned this.  In the following verses (Jeremiah 18:6-10), it says that God can change his mind about how he blesses us depending upon if we seek after him or not.  Part of this blessing, I find, is letting him choose the gifts he wants to use in us. He molds us as he sees fit, into instruments he designs for his purposes.  Sometimes, we think we know what purposes our gifts should play in life.  We think we have a pretty good idea of how God should use us.  Left unchecked, this turns into pride.  But God has much better plans and ideas than we could ever have.  He wants us to give him the reigns of our life, to put “the clay of who we are” in his hands, and he will shape us according to his desire.  When the Isrealites took the reigns themselves, and became selfish and tended towards evil, God judged them.  This is like hard, unmoldable clay.  But when they were soft-hearted toward Him, willing to be molded, God blessed them and used them to bring him glory.  And in my life, he took what I thought I could give him, and he made it something much better — as he fashioned me through trial and struggle.  He started working on the tough spots, softening those; all the while forming me into his image.  And really, he has just begun.  He has more molding in store for me, I’m sure.  Why?  Because I am not finished and he loves me so!

When I decided to just let him have his way with my life, he started to form beautiful gifts and abilities in me.  And he can do so with you too!  Will you LET GOD HAVE HIS WAY with your life, like the potter does with the clay?  Will you yield to his plans and his intentions for you?

There is freedom and an amazing comfort in having the potter’s hands on me, molding me.  I can feel his loving touch.  He is always planning for my good!  Later in Jeremiah, God says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬) I must trust God that his plans for me are good, full of hope and prosperity for eternity.  He is The Best Father of All Time!  Lord, thank you for this analogy of the potter molding the clay.  Sometimes I am stubborn and want my way — the easy way.  But you are patient and loving and you wait for me to give you “free reign” in the course of my life.  Take all that I am today.  Mold me for your use and your purposes I pray.  I trust you to “do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).