A Potter's Vessel-Part 1

(I hit post and then realized just how long it was. I've broken it up into a couple sections so it won't be so long to read.)


How many of you have had the chance to make pottery using a potter's wheel?

I took a ceramics class in college and while I was really annoyed with the hand building techniques (alright, I hated them), I loved working on the wheel. I wasn't very good at it, but I loved it. I thinking back I can see a number of spiritual principles that have parallels in forming pottery on a wheel.
I put my applications in blue to try to separate them out. I hope this isn't too confusing.

First of all, the potter needs to consider what type of vessel he is going to make. Different clays have different uses. What is the vessel going to be used for? Who is going to be using it? Is it a fine vase fit for a king's palace? or is it a large, sturdy pot for storing water? The potter knows what he is going to do before he starts.
"Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Romans 9:21)
The Lord has a vision for each of us, for each of our lives. He knows what purpose we will serve and how we will be used. I want to know now what I'm going to be used for and when I'm going to be used. I want to read the script so I know what's coming. God doesn't work that way. Everything has it's own time and purpose, His time and purpose.
The other thing that I noticed at this step was so obvious that I overlooked it-the potter is the one that makes the decision about what is going to be made. All too often, I'm the one that wants to decide what is going to happenand be in charge but if I want God's best in my life then I need to let him make the decisions for me.

Next the clay needs to be prepared. Sometimes it needs to be soaked because it has dried out. Other times in needs to be aired out because there is too much water in it. Once it is the right consistency, the clay is "wedged" or kneaded. Wedging removes the air bubbles in the clay and ensures an even consistency throughout the whole lump.
One of the things that jumps out at me is the use of water. Water speaks of the Word of God. Like the clay, we need it integrated into our live in order to be usefull. If we are dry, we need to be saturated with it. Sometimes we "know" so much scripture that we need to be aired out to let God's Word actually soak in and become a practical part of our every day walk.
We also need to have any air bubbles removed. Sometimes this means changing locations, changing churches, or changing jobs. Sometimes it just plain feels like we've been dumped over on our heads and then smooshed down flat. Even though we don't understand it, we need to trust God that He has everything under control.

(to be continued)