The Potter’s Wheel—Pt 1

Have you ever wondered why things happen the way they do? Have you ever wondered why God allows us to pass through certain situations? Have you ever wondered why difficulties come your way? Oh Yes! Obviously we all at one time or the other thought like that. Recently I have discovered the reason. I have discovered the truth from God’s word that has set me free! I pray that as you join me in this study you will also find that reason, that truth that will set you free and your faith will shift and move into a higher level. For faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17).

Let’s take a look at Genesis 2:7, It says, And the Lord God FORMED man of the dust of the ground” (emphasis mine). It is important to note that when God created the earth, he spoke things into existence; He called those things that are not as though they were. But in the case of man, God did not only speak (Gen1: 26), He actually FORMED man. And then we ask: Why did God take that step further? I mean He is God and nothing is difficult for him to do, he would have just called forth man like other creatures and man will appear.

 However it is important to understand the meaning of that word—FORMED in order to unlock the answers to our questions. The word FORMED comes from the Hebrew word—YATSAR meaning: to be framed, to mold or to squeeze into shape as a potter does. This Yatsar is the same Hebrew word for formed in Isaiah 64:8 and in Jeremiah 18:4-6. So God actually formed, molded, squeezed man to become like him. This brings us to another level of understanding that God is the potter and we are the clay (the dust of the ground). We will be briefly looking at the steps in pottery to understand how the potter works with his clay to achieve or get His desired product. Follow me now to the potter’s house (Jer 18:3).

·         First of all the clay is dug from the earth, sieved, soaked in the water and siphoned.

·         Next, the clay is dried to an extent that will allow the potter to work with it flexibly, it is kept wet. The wet clay is kneaded with pressure, closing up cracks and air bubbles.

·         The kneaded clay is then collected and thrown to the potter’s wheel. Here a forming process begins proper. The potter centers the clay, raising and changing the direction of the clay to suite his intentions. He keeps the clay constantly wet, scrapping off the excesses, manipulating and shaping the clay with a lot of pressure. A good potter has to apply a lot of pressure on the clay in order to get the desired shape.

Now these steps are not to bore you but to show and explain to you how God deals with us in order to produce his image and likeness in us. There are times when we pass through problems, troubles, difficulties, sicknesses and we begin to worry and ask questions that only God can answer. We feel very lonely as if we are estranged in an utter darkness. There are times when our spirits are crushed, vexed and our faith is stretched just like a string up to its breaking point. And the fear looms us in our face—am I ever going to come of this situation or am I going to breakdown? There are also times that we feel so dry; we feel the lord has abandoned us. We wonder if we have done anything wrong. Why can’t I just get it right? And He answers daughter/son, wait for the process!

 

Little wonder the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed, we are perplexed but not driven to despair, we are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed”. And yes the questions keep coming, why couldn’t God remove the torn from Paul’s flesh? Why would God tell Paul that his grace is sufficient for him? Why would God allow all these troubles, failures, misunderstandings and sicknesses on us? The answer lies in our understanding of the potter’s wheel.

 Those situations that God allows us to pass through, is his wheel. They serve as a tool for our shaping and making. Through the potter’s wheel, our lives are framed, fashioned into his likeness. We all have been there and we are continually passed through one wheel to the other. God wants to create his replica in us through his wheel. His wheel is our trials and difficulties. You cannot get pure gold if you do not pass it through fire to burn out all the impurities in the mineral. Just like the gold, the clay must pass through a process, through the potter’s wheel to get a desired product. There is no make-shift arrangement or magic for that.

We cannot become the man or the woman God wants us to be except he passes us through his process and makes us his vessel that will carry his treasure and glory. How on earth can one become a successful medical doctor or business entrepreneur, if he/she does not go to school to study and learn? How do you want a good family, if you do not learn the principles of marriage and family living? And how do we want to live a happy and purposeful life, if we do not allow the creator of life to continually mold us and deal with our lives according to his intentions?

Originally, clay consists of heaps of rubbles of sand, small stones, dead plants and debris. But the potter does not use it as an excuse to abandon the clay. He knows and he sees the impurities of the clay yet he works with it. He is looking at the desired product. He has already imagined how beautiful his flower vase will be and how he will use it to beautify his living room. He is looking at the money he will earn from its sale. He is also looking at how useful that bowl or cup will serve in the kitchen. Likewise God is not looking at how our lives are messed-up presently; he is not looking at our weaknesses. He knows that when he has passed us through his process, we will become vessels that will serve in his kingdom, vessels that will earn him souls and showcase his glory. He knows we will become vessels that he will use to meet people at the point of their needs. He is looking at how our lives will be when he is through with us. Continue with part 2.