In the Hands of the Potter

In the Hands of the Potter


Who is this Potter?
We get to know Him as the one who makes stuff. He made all that we see, even us (Gen.2:7). David sings about this in Psalm 139: 13-16. “Fearfully and wonderfully made.”


With the fall into sin, man tried to shrug out of the Potters hands. Yet He immediately starts moulding the clay again, and again, and again. He had a bigger purpose. 2 Corinthians 4:7 tells us that it is to carry the treasure of treasures, the Knowledge that the Potter is King over everything, and that He is reforming us into something useful. We are only jars made of clay, nothing spectacular, breakable. But the power lies inside you. God called us to do great things in His Kingdom. Looking at how a potter goes about making something, we can learn a lot about the Potters reform on us (here is a video demonstration) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9-hAJ8IrmU).


Step 1: prepare the clay.
Clay doesn’t just lie around, ready for use. It is dug out, pounded to powder and then worked into humps of clay. 
Ephesians tells us that God called us, even before He created the earth. We belong to Him to use as He pleases – He prepares us to be useful.


Step 2 – Throwing or making the clay stick.
This is very important, because the clay can come lose and fly from the potter`s wheel. This requires smacking and pounding in order for the foundation of the clay to firmly stick to the wheel.
As Believers in the Potters hands, He wants us to stick to the foundation. For this purpose He gave his Son. Not only to save us, but so that we may know that He is the Potter – His kingdom is everything. And sometimes we are so full of ourselves that He needs to pound it into us.


Step 3 – centre
If the clay is not centred it is very difficult to shape, and to keep shape. So the Potter brings the clay up between both hands, and then He pushes it down, brings it up, and pushes it down. 
Isn’t that exactly what the Holy Spirit does in us? While God the Father holds us and guides us in His hands, the Holy Spirits centres us with the will of the Father.  He brings us up to focus on the glory and majesty of God, and pushes us down when He reminds us about our vulnerability. Prayer shows that we are eager to centre our will with the will of God.


Step 4 – open up
As soon as the clay is centred, it is ready to open up. The potter pushes down on the soft middle of the centred clay and it opens up to show the base of the piece to be. Because the base or foundation is sticking properly, the rest can be formed. 
Likewise we experience that God puts His fingers on our soft parts, and gently opens us up. We are totally vulnerable in this state, but the comfort lies in the fact that the Potter knows best, He is preparing us for a greater purpose.


Step 5 – pulling up
The potter now starts to gently pull up the sides of the piece that is being formed. Now the potter reveals what his intentions are with the piece, if it is going to be a bowl, a jug, or pot.
With fingers that pulls and pushes, it takes on the shape that the potter has had in his mind from the start.
Similarly God starts forming us to be something useful. He increases our capacity/volume. Like the clay we still resist a little, but because the foundation is strong, the forming is easier. He forms us according to the plan He has had for the Kingdom from the start. No touch, or prod or pull is without cause. He wants to put His treasure in you.


The 6th and last step – bring it back
Because of gravity, the higher the sides go, the more the piece tends to swell and fall out. The potter must continually bring the clay back to the centre. If left unchecked, it will fall apart.
In the same way you and I are brought back to the centre. As our capacity grows, so does our sensitivity for God`s Word and for the working of the Spirit. Because God is hands on with us, He brings us back, never to think that we can be useful on our own. No, unchecked, we will fall apart.


But what if I fall apart, what if God doesn’t like what I have become? Read Jeremiah 18:1-4. This is the wonder of knowing the might of our Potter. He is the one that makes new creations out of old pottery. Unlike earthly potters, He can even use old pot shafts, yes out of broken pieces He builds Himself a piece that reflects more and more of His image, as He works on it.


I leave you with a few thoughts:


Do you really know the Potter? Not of Him – do you know Him and do you enjoy the time in His hands?

Do you thank Him for the way He made you? Yes with that nose, those ears, that skin colour – fearfully and wonderfully made.


Do you celebrate the fact that you are vulnerable? The fact that you were made out of clay and not out of stone? Be formed to His will – pray a lot.


Never be shy about the way that God is forming you! He is fulfilling His kingdom plan in the specific way that He is forming you. You do not have to have everything together, because that is a lie. Only the Potter has everything together, hands on.


What is your purpose? Are you to keep the treasure safe from harm? Really? You, the jar of clay? No! Share it! Multiply it like the widow`s jar that kept on giving oil. Share the wonderful intimacy as you felt the Potters hands working with you. To say that you can`t is to insult the Potter, because for this He has made you!