JEREMIAH 18:6

“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?”  declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”

TO PONDER:

I have a little pin box I once made in a pottery class. Despite repeated efforts, I could not get a smooth, even bottom, hence it is a bit wonky. However, the lid fits snuggly so it serves its purpose well. It is also a pretty blue/green colour, quite beautiful to look at.  When I look at it, I am reminded that God originally created Adam, and thus us, from the earth, and can still mold us to be whatever he wishes, just as the potter does, if he sees a blemish he can rework it, life’s unexpected hardships, like the potter’s kiln, can serve to harden us do deal with life issues and our resolve to draw closer to God.

God doesn’t create rubbish, we should never give in to wishing for some change in our appearance or other aspect of our self; we are valuable in God’s sight, we are created as an honourable people to serve him in exactly the way he chooses.  That little pin box might not sit on the table as one expects it to, but is very useful and  lovely to look at. That’s us, a bit rough around the edges but we are made in God’s image and when we serve him in the way he has planned, we have a beauty that radiates and can draw people in to want to know more about God and how their lives can be changed by believing  in him.

Sometimes we can be inclined to feel that what we are doing or saying isn’t good enough, perhaps we have got it wrong. Remember that this loving, powerful, creative God, created us in our mother’s womb, we were written into the Book of Life before we were born and God doesn’t make mistakes, he has crafted us into vessels of honour fit for his use.

PRAYER:Creative God I thank you that you have created me to serve you, that you can remold me when blemishes appear and make me into a valuable vessel of honour to serve you as you have chosen me to do, so that others may come to know you.  Amen

Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle