For Ladies

The Potter And The Clay

Ginny Lallance

"And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." Jeremiah 18:4

From this scripture I am also reminded of the hymn "Have Thine Own Way," and the words we sing, "Mold me and make me after thy will."

The potter holds the "vessel" in his hand and notices it is marred, misshapen. He realizes it can't serve him in the way(s) he intended it to be used. The potter is God/Christ. The vessel is a Christian who has become weak: giving in to temptation, being neglectful of duty, perhaps even falling back into sin.

Picture in your mind ... In the Potter's hands the vessel is being remolded. All of the old indentations (sins) are being erased. The Potter is forming a vessel that is smooth, strong, and much better at holding what the Potter will fill it with. He is reshaping our vessels (lives) to become more serviceable in the Lord's kingdom.

From reading the sentences above, you might think I'm talking only about someone who has fallen away and is in need of being restored to the Lord's body, the Church, but I'm not. There may be many reasons why a Christian's vessel is dented and marred - reasons known only to the Potter and you. There may be small flaws that may not be seen by man, but we know they are there and so does the Potter. Within His hands our vessel can be molded once again because, with a reshaped, serviceable vessel, there is much work to be done.

As women in the Lord's service, using our background, our training, our mind, and, yes, even our weakness, let's fill our vessel to the point of overflowing and be willing to use all of ourselves in service to God.

Note these scriptures. "But whosoever looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:25. "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; some to honour, and some to dishonour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." 2 Timothy 2:20-21.

Should there be any blemishes or dents in our vessels, we should ask the Potter to reshape us so we can be vessels worthy to be called Christians. May the Potter instill in us, sisters in Christ, a willingness to keep our vessels bright and shining, to bow our heads in thanksgiving, and stretch out our hands to do His work. As sisters together in the Lord we have work to do, just as the women who labored in the gospel with Paul. (Philippians 4:3). The Potter has a purpose for this vessel He formed and, yes, even reformed. Think about the Potter's purpose for you, His vessel. -Rt 2 Box 177, Belington, WV 26250. mrmrsl@meernet.com

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