Potter and Clay

“O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our Potter, and we all are the work of your Hand.” Isaiah 64:8

Some years ago I visited a pottery factory and was privileged to watch a potter at work. I was struck at the ease with which he handled and managed the clay until his product was formed - a beautiful work of art!

In God’s Word, Isaiah uses the potter-clay metaphor to talk about our relationship with God and His interest in us. God had His eyes on each of us long before we were born. The psalmist recognizing that he was “fearfully and wonderfully made” writes “You have weaved me in my mother’s womb” and “Your eyes saw my frame even when it was not completely formed” ( Psalm139).

Therefore from the beginning God saw each one of us as His “project”. First He is Creator, Giver of life; then He is Savior – saving us from sin and eternal separation from Him. But there is more –God has the perfect image of what He wants us to be, and knowing our frailties, He takes it upon Himself to help us, to fashion and to mold us into eventual perfection. He is our Potter and we are His clay.

Again my mind goes back to my experience at the factory. One could not help but notice the nature of the clay – not hard, but malleable and pliable, yielding to whatever pressure and formation the potter wanted. It should be the same with God and us. God has a unique perfect plan for us, but He needs our compliance, our willingness to go along with His handling of the clay. Stubbornness and disobedience to His Word are obstacles to the work of perfection that God wants to produce in us. We see an example in Christ. Therefore compliance involves imitation of the Example given – That is how God wants us to look and the only ones who can prevent God from accomplishing His goal is we ourselves. So let us try to be pliable in God’s Hands and surrender to His guidance - every touch, tug, push, mark, whatever the Master Potter designs for us, His Work of Art. Al Jones