The Master Potter

 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.”Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.


The bible often talks about pottery, comparing us to the clay pots and Holy Spirit as the Potter.  It’s a great metaphor because so much of the work of the potter, molding, shaping and firing is like the work God through Holy Spirit does in our lives. 

  Have you ever dropped a glass or a vase and broken it?  Then you know once they’re broken, there’s really no putting them back together.  Yes, you can glue them but they’ll never hold water again. But did you know for the potter, broken pieces of fired pots can be recycled?  

  All is not lost when a pot is broken!  The broken pieces of the pot are ground up and added to the weak clay.....it’s used to reduce shrinkage in clay bodies. They call the pulverized parts of pottery grog.  When the grog is added to weak clay, it gives it strength.  Interesting, huh? 

  Broken pieces being ground into grog and added to weak (soft) clay to build an even stronger pot is what restoration is all about. Isn’t that awesome?  Our brokenness strengthens us to become stronger and better vessels, more fit for the Master’s table.  When I read about the heroes in the bible I’m astounded and encouraged by the thought that those who were the most flawed were the same ones God commended and used mightily. I’m so glad that God didn’t sugar coat the scriptures in order to present Peter, King David, Moses and Abraham as near perfect saints. But instead has allowed us to see them as they really were....warts and all.  I don’t know about you but that gives me hope. *smile* 

In His love, 
Elizabeth