Word Count: 869

Contact Jerry Ousley

Let the Potter Take You for a Spin

by Jerry Ousley  
3/25/2011 / Christian Living

Artistic abilities aside from a computer are not among my finer points. I think my son inherited my inabilities. We have a Christmas ornament that we put on the tree every year. He made this ornament from clay in an art class he had during high school. It is a cherished object to Deb and me but every time he sees that decoration he laughs and wonders why we've kept it all these years. Well the answer is simple really, and every parent already knows it; something that your child has formed with his or her own hands can never be ugly. It may be unattractive, but to us it will always be treasured as a work of art.

We'll continue putting that ornament on our Christmas tree because of all the memories it carries for us. One day our son will completely understand when he has a child of his own and he or she comes home with one of those handcrafted masterpieces. No matter how unshapely or color uncoordinated it may be, it will be a treasure in the hearts of Mom and Dad. Besides, I've seen a lot of so called "modern art" that doesn't look much better. It makes me wonder if they had no real artistic abilities either but because of who they were their art was accepted as such. I guess it's all in the eyes of the beholder.

Jeremiah was prompted of the Lord to go to the potter one day. God had a lesson that He wanted the prophet to see and then tell to the nation of Israel. It's a timeless lesson and applies to each of us yet today. In the Book of Jeremiah 18:1-4 we read, "The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 'Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.' Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make." What a simple but profound lesson!

As Jeremiah watched the potter at work he was spinning the clay on the foot operated wheel. His hands smoothed the clay as it rotated and the vessel he had in mind began to take shape. Then something happened. We aren't told if it was a flaw in the clay, an impurity that caught in his fingers as his masterpiece spun, or if he just made a mistake. Whatever the cause, we're told that the clay was marred in his hand. The beautiful piece that had been taking shape suddenly slung to one side and it bent and swayed as it spun out of balance. It was ruined.

Our lives are like that clay, and that was exactly the point God intended to make to the prophet Jeremiah. We may have great talents and abilities. Our skills may be taking shape rapidly as our lives develop over the years. Then suddenly something happens. It could be a tragic loss in our lives. How often have we read or heard of an individual who had great abilities in sports, only to encounter an accident or injury that takes away those physical strengths. It may seem that his or her life is ruined forever. We may be very successful in life hauling in piles of money when the stock market rapidly falls, or we lose our jobs or sickness overtakes us and we are no longer able to work. The fact is that there are many things that can happen to interrupt our lives and make us change directions. There we are spinning out of balance on the Potter's wheel. It seems all is lost.

But wait; we're told that it was no big deal with the potter. He simply made it again into another vessel that was even then taking shape in his mind. And that's the key we need to realize. When tragedy of one kind or another strikes and it seems our lives are forever ruined, know that if we will allow ourselves to be molded and shaped by the Potter's hands He will take our ruination and simply remake us into what seems good to Him.

You see, God knows our future. He knew before we were born how our lives were going to turn out. That's why He put special things into us so that if we mess up, if flaws suddenly pop out and seem to ruin the vessel we think we are becoming, if we allow Him, He'll just start over and make us into something else. We are not defined and limited to what we think we are. No, God has put that special ingredient into our lives that gives us flexibility to be what He wants us to be regardless of flaws, imperfections and tragic errors. But we've got to allow Him to take us for a spin. We do that by letting Him become our Savior. Do it today and you'll be amazed at the special treasure God will make.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! Click here and TRUST JESUS NOW

Read more articles by Jerry Ousley

Like reading Christian Articles? Check out some more options. Read articles in Main Site Articles, Most Read Articles or our highly acclaimed Challenge Articles. Read Great New Release Christian Books for FREE in our Free Reads for Reviews Program. Or enter a keyword for a topic in the search box to search our articles.

Enter comments below. Due to spam, all hyperlinks posted in the comments are now immediately disabled by our system.

Please type the following word below:

Not readable? Change text.

The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Hire a Christian Writer, Christian Writer Wanted, Christian Writer Needed, Christian Content Needed, Find a Christian Editor, Hire a Christian Editor, Christian Editor, Find a Christian Writer