God as the Potter

Bonnie Lee sends in this inspiring story:

As many of you know, ceramics is a great passion for me. In 2000, I took a ceramics/clay class series as part of my transition into retirement. Working with clay is so relaxing, timeless and fulfilling. Like a good friend, clay is nonjudgmental, goes along with whatever I want to do and is always there regardless of how I treat it! Like key lime pie, I love clay. I now realize that it was God’s plan for me that this ceramic/clay experience would be continually used to soften my heart and to spur a deeper relationship with Him.

For Christmas 2008, I decided to make 12 ceramic plaques (e.g., peace dove with an olive branch and the Bible verse about God calling us to live in peace) as Christmas gifts. It took about 3 weeks of careful planning, detailing, burnishing and preparation for the first kiln firing. When I opened the kiln after the first firing, I saw that every plaque was broken – into small pieces and dust! I was so disappointed and cried that all my effort became crumbled clay. What happened? I later realized I had not properly stacked and supported the 12 plaques in the kiln. Well, instead of 12 beautiful plaques, I baked 12 pumpkin breads for Christmas gifts.

I see us as those broken crumbled pieces of clay – not worth repairing, discarded clay and not good for any purpose. It would have taken me more than a lifetime to try and repair those plaques so they would be ‘perfect’ gifts. It wasn’t worth the thought to make such as effort. I trashed them.

But I've learned that God, the real ‘Potter’, sees us differently. God deeply cares about our brokenness. He senses our pain and hopelessness in our brokenness. But, thanks be to God!! God repairs our brokenness and makes us new and perfect in his image and for his purposes. His love and his investment in each one of us are steadfast and full of intent.

When I see the Potter’s love activated in each of you, how can I not see God’s passionate desire to want us to eternally fellowship with Him? Jesus made it possible for this relationship to happen.

God, indeed, is our Potter. The potter is in total control of his clay – from his very first image of our total being – to molding, glazing, firing and then – to the final complete product and presentation. God seeks joy and delight in his creations. It is very good.

A few years ago, I made a very personalized ceramic planter for my hairstylist. She commented to me that when she sees this specific ceramic piece that is displayed in her kitchen, she does not see the design on the pot but remembers and reflects thoughts of me (the one who created it). Thus, it is the same that we should remember God as our Potter.