This is something I wrote back in 2008, but I thought I would share it with you.
The Potter’s Clay
Working with clay takes skill as each piece of clay is unique. If the clay has too much water it is hard to work with, if it has too little water it’s too hard to be worked. If you apply heat to the clay with to much water, it takes a long time to dry up the excess before you can work it, and to the clay with not enough water will actually crack, destroying it. This analogy can be applied to the human vessel. Christ is the master potter. When he takes a lump of clay, (for we are made out of dirt and water = clay) and starts to work with it, he feels it to see how much water needs to be applied, or how much water needs to be dried up.
The water is the Holy Spirit that fills our soul. When we are dry it means we do not have him in our life. God will gradually pour into us, if we are willing, his spirit, to be able to mold us into the image of his son. The potter needs to constantly work the clay as it is turning on its wheel (our life) to work out any flaws that start to appear. If it becomes to wet, the potter adds a little bit of sand to dry it up, making it still manageable. Too much water is when we become to full of ourselves, absorbed in ourselves, taking the credit that belongs to God, Pride. The sand is the difficulties God allows into our lives to humble us back into a place where he can work again. When the pot is in the shape desired, then the heat is applied (going through the fire) to make the shape permanent and usable.
We are living vessels that can chose to, either keep our self absorbed water/pride, and not allow the Master to shape us, and not allow the heat to dry us up a little, or we let it dry us up too much and we become unusable, our pride will harden our own hearts. The same hands that mold the pliable clay also try to mold the hard clay. To refuse to be molded, not allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us (or the water to be absorbed), only means the potter has to throw the lump away in the end (hell).
Each vessel has a specific shape that is desired for its use. Some take longer to make than others. Some will get a glossy finish while others will be left with a natural finish. Some will get designs while others are left plain; it is the potter’s choice who gets what. Some will get a place of honor while others will be placed in the back. Some will be used daily while others will be used less often, each being used for the purpose they were designed to be used for.
Have we allowed the potter to shape us into usable vessels, ones that will be used for the purpose designed; vessels of honor? Are we vessels that will only be used occasionally? Or not at all?
Allow the Holy Spirit to make you pliable, easy to work with, so that you are not tossed out as an unusable vessel.
Karen Rivello
Oct. 30, 2008