Regarding Being Reworked in God’s Hand…

So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. (Jeremiah 18:3,4, ESV)

In the beginning God made us in his image (Gen.1:26), sinless beings, created to live holy, fruitful, perfect, beautiful lives. But Satan entered the serpent and deceived Eve. Then Adam listened to his wife and disobeyed God. They both sinned against God, and everything changed. Everyone born through Adam and Eve are born into sin. We are all sinful beings, and each one falling short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). There is no getting around or escaping that truth and if we try to deny it then, as John wrote we are only deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us (I John 1:8-10).

Over time we have managed to disappoint God, anger God, grieve his heart, and make him regret making humans. Yet he has not left us, never forsaken us, but loved and forgiven us unconditionally. How easy it would have been for God to destroy us and make a new set of people, but God has chosen otherwise. He chose to love us, to be longsuffering, to send his Son, Jesus, to save us, to redeem us from sin instead of destroying us and creating something new.

Satan came in to steal us away from God; to make us his own, to assure we would be like him: full of wickedness and evil, hating good and loving evil, rejecting light and loving darkness, but God did not allow that to be the end of our story or the outcome. By sending Jesus to die for us the Potter reworked us, through Jesus’ blood we have been made righteous, been restored, redeemed, and repurposed, not for darkness or evil, but for light and holiness. Because God reworked us we can have a good life, a meaningful journey, a blessed ending.

Think of your own life and journey, the places where it would have been easy for God t ogive up on you, even destroy you and let your life end right there. But he did not. Out of love he determined to make something good of your brokenness, rebellion, or sad story, so he did not throw you out in the trash but kept you in  his powerful hand to recreate and rework you into the beautiful vessel you are today. Let’s Pray,

Thank you, Lord, for what you have done for us! Satan came to steal us away from you, but you did not allow that to happen and made sure we would belong to you for always. By sending your Son Jesus to redeem us from sin you have sealed our future for all eternity. We praise, glorify, and magnify you. Amen  

Reflective Questions for Self and Soul-Tending:

As you have been on the Potter’s wheel how has sin marred you? How has the potter reworked you for his own purposes and not Satan’s desires or plans?

How will you incorporate today’s message and passage into your plan of self and soul-care?