We were sitting around an outside table at starbucks. The breeze flowing through our hair, circled up together holding hands in prayer. After 9 days of training camp we were allowed off the camp ground to go Make A Memory with our new groups. Our fearless leader Abi will prayerfully, boldly, enthusiastically, and patiently lead the other 6 girls over this next year. Hannah, Jamie, Casie, Rachel, Brooke, and myself will confidently follow under Abi’s counsel and direction for the remainder of our journey. We sat circled up praying over our mission, our hearts, what the journey may look like, and for a name. We needed a name that represented the 7 of us. A name that stood for something. A strong name, which we would be identified by. Eyes closed, hearts open, silently listening for God to lay something on our hearts. A word, a vision, something we could bounce ideas off of.
In the stillness of the moment I received an image of 2 hands. 2 strong beautiful hands molding a ball of clay. The longer I sat, I began to see the ball of clay take shape. It was a jar of some sort. Thick, strong, sturdy, and useful. I spoke up and said “how about jars of clay?” I later realized there was a band named Jars of Clay, and I was not keene on stealing someone else’s name. I told the group what I imagined was God speaking to me. He was showing me the process of pottery. What a potter goes through to get a final product. The kneading, shaping, molding, and the kenneling at the end to produce a beautiful work of art. I related it to us, how in this next year he will shape us, mold us, and form us more into his image, he will put us in the fire and refine us but he will never leave our side.
Today in church the sermon was about Hope. A pretty vague topic, and popular among church services. I sat back with anticipation wondering how this sermon would be different from the rest. The Pastor opened up with Jeremiah 18. He started to explain a little back history about this time frame, and how Israel was a rebellious nation. Time and time again God told them they needed to repent of their sinful ways and follow him. Before God lead Israel out of captivity (the Exodus) God performed many miracles on their behalf, (the plagues, parting the red sea, the pillar of cloud and fire to guide them, manna falling from heaven, water from the rocks, the voice and appearance of God on Mt. Sinai, and the defeat of their enemies).Their memory was short, their hearts became hard, they quickly remembered their oppression and turned back to their evil ways as the shock of the miracles quickly wore off. The people of Israel grumbled and complained and rebelled repeatedly. They frequently broke the laws and commandments set in place to protect them.
God fed them, clothed them, protected them, cared for them, and repeatedly forgave them for their sinfulness, and selfish disobedience. He gave them chance after chance to turn toward him, and love and obey him.
The truth is they didn’t deserve chance after chance. WE don’t deserve chance after chance. We are so consumed in this selfie society by our own selfish desires and what WE get out of it. We tell God, we don’t need him and tend to our business. Thank God for GRACE. Though so undeserving he never stops loving. Never stops forgiving. Pursuing. And he never lets us out of his hands.
Jeremiah 18:6 like clay in the hands of the potter you are Still in my hands.
When the potter is molding clay, there are a few steps involved. First the dry clay needs to be moistened. You add water. In comparison, it’s like the outpouring of the Holy spirit on us. Covering us with love, affection, and grace. Next you need pressure, you need to knead and mold the clay to the desired shape. This requires patience, time, and care. Likewise, our father takes his sweet time. Molding us, shaping us, and sculpting us more to replicate his image. This is the process most people don’t enjoy. Its in this stage of the process that hurts. The pressure. The constant configuring. The loss of control. Then the potter adds more water. (more love, more, grace, more outpouring of his spirit) He keeps molding.
I hope you’re seeing where I’m going with this.
Notice. The potter never takes his hand of the potters wheel. The pottery would spin off out of control. He keeps his hands closely wrapped around his clay, and continues; molding, pressure, moisture, molding, pressure, moisture. All the while focused on keeping his hands in place safely protecting his sculpture.
The last step is to be placed in the kennel (furnace). It’s in this part of the process that refining takes place. The sculpture is being set. The potter is finished and is proud of his work. It is suited to his liking and ready to be put on display.
Rejoice! You are still in the hands of the craftsman. He has not left you. No matter what you’re going through, or have gone through, even when you feel like the Isrealites and you can’t stand before the lord. He is steadily creating you to be his vessels. There is HOPE. He is not letting go of you. For the potter to maintain form, he must keep his hands on the clay. He didn’t take his hands off Israel and he wont take his hands off you.
Trust the hands you’re in.
Philippians 1:6 says “and I’m SURE of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion!
He’s not done with you. Your heart. Your marriage. Your plans. Your relationships. Your past. Your future. He is faithful to completion. Isn’t it a great thought that our best days are still ahead? Enjoy the process. The time he is putting in to you, the molding, shaping, and refining process. Each day he is shaping you to be more like him.
The SculptorsSeven. This is the name we decided on. We decided God is going to sculpt us, mold us, and refine us in this next year; to be better suited for who he created us to be. We are going to go through trials and hard times. We are going to be stretched, and pulled in uncomfortable situations. And we are going to be put in the fire. But in the fire is where beautiful things are made to be put on display. He is preparing us and better equipping us to further his kingdom and the 7 of us are ready for the challenge. Together, side by side with the potter holding us in the palm of his hands.
My prayer for us and for you reading is that we will allow him to mold us. Be flexible, and allow him to grow us in teachable situations. Be reminded that even when we walk away from him he never walks away from us. We are always in his hands. He wants to put us on display for the world to see. So that he may be glorified. Allow him to stretch you, and shape you into who he wants you to be, so he can use you.
