The Potter and Clay: “Perfection-In-Love”

The beauty of life is perfectly made manifest in love, and in love God is made manifest in life, because God is love and love is God and without love, God cannot be found! The Potter and Clay: “Perfection-In-Love” is the testament of Prophet Jeremiah to the insatiability of God’s desire to make us perfect in love. Enjoy it!

Then the word of the LORD came to me:

Can I not do to you, house of Israel

as this potter has done? Says the Lord

~ Jeremiah 18: 6a

I remember very vividly how my parents, siblings and the entire village in which I grew up will over and over again correct my mistakes, praise my successes and share in my burden. Retrospectively, one thing that stands out in my memory is the love, compassion and humility of these blessed people in my life.

When I read through the Prophet Jeremiah’s conversation with the almighty God regarding the house of Israel (We are now that house- “you are the temple of God”) this morning, my heart melts with absolute joy and happiness because of the steadfast love of God for humanity!

My father was an artist by trade and as a young child, I watched some of his paintings, both the finished and unfinished ones alike, and I must be honest, they were all fascinating and unique in themselves. My father, as a human being even understood the need to make his painting much better, driving his desire for perfect product and I can imagine what it might be like to see God take interest in us and also steadfastly desiring to turn us into a perfect vessel of love, hope and faith for him and for mankind.

The Potter

The Potter is none other than our God! “Can I not do to you, as this porter has done?” say the Lord, our God! What did the potter do to the clay? Well while the prophet Jeremiah watches, whenever the object of the clay which is in the hand of the potter turns out badly, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. In other words, the potter risk time and energy, comfort and challenges, perception and reality and even frustrations at times to devout his time into the finished product of his imagination which will turn out to be good and not the bad one he started with!

Have you ever question yourself, why me O God?

Why is nothing working out for me?

Why is my relationship hitting the rock bottom?

Why am I not successful?

Why is my marriage falling apart?

Why is my child not making progress?

Why can’t I keep a job?

Why am I unemployed?

Why is life so unfair to me?

Why am I so hated by this person?

Why am I still alive with all these pain?

Why this sickness?

The answers to most of our questions that originates from lifelong experiences can never be completely answered in the fashion we desire nor can we even understand the many why in our lives. However without doubt, the Prophet Jeremiah is challenging us to see in these many “Why” of our lives the necessity of the Potter relentlessly trying to make us into perfection-in-love vessels.

The Clay

We are invariably and unquestionably the “Clay” in the potter’s hand!

The potter created us from dust; “We are dust and unto dust we shall return”, however when he breath the breathe of life into each one of us, we became a living being, design with perfection-in-love, set apart to rule over the universe, but above all to love our creator and God exceeding any other desires of our lives.

Nobody in his or her right mind will be unwilling to make room for change, especially when such change is intended to create a better person, environment and situation, consequently leading to harmony, understanding and ultimately the manifestation of love.

My faith does not approve of this lifestyle, so I will change it!

My wife does not approve of this habit, so I will change it!

My husband does not like this attitude, so I will change it!

My children do not fill empowered by my characters, so I will change them!

My parents are disappointed, so I will change that way of life!

My co-workers were hurt due to my behavior, so I will change it!

This desire to make amend in a positive fashion is a way that we all want to get along with our other selves; wife, children, parents, siblings, neighbors, friends, co-workers and humanity, generally speaking. However as we have seen over and again many of us fall short of our goals in life not because we did not often try, but as a result of our ego in not seeking help from the Potter!

Perfection-In-Love

We are well aware of the fact that, as humans we were fearfully and wonderfully made by God and nothing in life exemplify this unique attribute more than Human Anatomy! Have you ever imagine how the human body is intricately, but perfectly made; from the cellular to the tissues and to the organs and finally the human person?

This is a pure work of perfection-in-love from none other than the almighty God!

Reflection

Today we are being challenged by the Prophet Jeremiah on the necessity for us to accept without doubting that we are the “Clay” and the almighty God is the “Potter” in our lives.

Today we are also being asked by the “Potter” to recognize and allow him to mold and remold, build and rebuild and remodel us again, no matter how hurt and difficult we may feel and no matter how at times we may experience brokenness, rejection and discrimination!

Today, the “Potter” wants us to attest to the fact that, no matter how bad it seems, no matter how daunting, intimidating and disheartening our life experiences may be, when we trust, hope and love the Lord, our God, just like the broken clay, he will make a new and better one out of the old.

Today, the “Potter” desire that we recognize that each one of us is a work in progress, which will ultimately lead to perfection-in-love in the eternal Kingdom where everlasting peace shall reign supreme.

And today, the “Potter” wants us and I mean all of us to recognize our human limitations; knowledge, wisdom and understanding and life! These things shall pass away one day, when we are finally called from this earth, when breathe of life is taken out of the body. At such moment, we are being asked to trust and obey, believe and have faith in the realization that, just like the clay in the potter’s hands, our God has finally and absolutely make us into the perfection-in-love vessels that he so much cherish and therefore willing to have us come back and share in his Kingdom of eternal glory.

The question for us therefore is not who is the potter of my life nor what type of clay am I? Rather, how can I allow myself to be the clay that the potter is willing to mold and remold again and over until I am able to bring glory to his holy name while I am still breathing?

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father,

In the name of Jesus Christ your Only Begotten Son, I approach your throne of grace today with a humble, repentant and a heart of thanksgiving for all the steadfast love, compassion and mercy you have continued to shower on me, in spite of my unworthiness.

Help me to accept you as the Potter of my life and I am clay for your design!

Help me to make myself available as your instrument of peace, love and hope!

Help me to bring Jesus Christ to my neighbors!

Help me to bring your joy and happiness to those in mourning!

Help to bring food for those that are hungry!

Help me to fetch drink for those that are thirsty!

Help me to bring love to those that are experiencing hatred!

Help me to be your light in darkness!

Help me to be your eyes to those that are blind!

Help me to be your legs to the cripple!

Help me to be your ears and mouth to the deaf and dumb!

Help me to bring comfort and support to the weak and vulnerable!

Help me to lead by your example of love!

O Lord, my God direct all my actions from your love, with your love and in your love, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior in union with the Holy Spirit, one God world without end. Amen!

Picture interpretation: Hands (God the Father), Cross (Jesus Christ, God the Son) & Dove (Holy Spirit). Ref: Jeremiah 18: 1-6

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