Spiritual Pottery

Isaiah 64:8 ESV

8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

I decided to take a cue from the prophet Jeremiah, who visited a potter’s studio at the Lord’s request ().

Jeremiah 18:1–6 ESV

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 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. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

So I observed an online pottery class—my sole purpose was to better understand the biblical metaphor of God as the Potter and people as the clay. Here’s what I learned when I watched a room full of whirring pottery wheels.

The Potter Has Power Over the Clay

The Potter has power over the clay. He can do what He chooses. We humans do have limited free will, but God’s will is greater. So even if we try to resist His sculpting hand, He continues to work toward His purpose. The master Craftsman has set out to achieve a particular design in us, and He has a plan to make it take shape.

The Potter Works the Clay with Patience

The Potter works the clay with patience. Since God knows that spiritual maturity can’t be rushed, He forms our Christlike character slowly—one experience at a time. That means He must also have perseverance, as human clay sometimes shifts off-center and becomes misshapen. Just as clay can be fashioned only when it sits precisely in the middle of the wheel, Christians must be in the Father’s will to grow spiritually. The Potter maneuvers the drifting believer back into position and begins remolding. He never discards His vessels but tirelessly works to perfect them.

Working With Clay Is Messy!

As the potter works the clay water has to be added or the clay will become to dry and stiff to be molded. When this water is added and the clay spins on the wheel, it gets messy. This is exactly what happens in our spiritual lives. As we grow in God, we add scripture, knowledge, prayer, and spiritual guidance, just like water to the clay and it gets messy. Growing closer to Christ is not a clean and neat experience, so when your spiritual walk gets messy, know God is molding you and just needed to add some water.

Our God is a Personal Potter

Our God is a personal Potter. His creations reflect His personality and character. And His Spirit is poured into each human vessel so He can be an intimate part of our life. The result is a work of true beauty—a saint wholly committed to Him.