***
You Belong

***
“But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.” – Isaiah 64:8
Remember this:
God’s hands don’t touch clay to IMPOSE a shape,
but to FIND its shape.
You are in the hands of the great, I AM. His goodness cannot be exaggerated. His compassion for you is unlimited; his affection unconditional. His hands patiently draw out the best that is within you. He is making it possible for you to become who you were always meant to be.
Be honored and secure. Be excited and happy. Be hopeful and confident. Be joyful and thankful. You are blessed.
“For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.” — Romans 5:2 (Living Bible, TLB)
Photograph by Lou Lourdeau.
On a sunny afternoon in August, I watched some talented ceramic artists demonstrate their craft.
One potter told me he often gets requests to make multiple identical items for customers, such as ten bowls or eight plates. Because pottery is his livelihood he happily obliges, but he admittedly finds that kind of work tedious. It’s merely forcing clay into compliance.
His preference is to approach the clay with an entirely different mindset. He described it as “allowing the clay to determine its final shape.” Those hours of work for him are enjoyable and fulfilling, during which a standard ball of clay transforms into a unique work of art.
“Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:6
Many of us have preconceived ideas about what God will do to us if we offer ourselves as malleable clay in his hands. We’ve observed people who turned “religious” — they morphed into clones, reproductions of a predictable Christian prototype. We recognize that something disconcerting happened to them “at that place”. “With those people.”
And there it is. At that place. With those people.
Outside of religion and inside too, it is so often at the hands of humanity that people are shaped.
It is decidedly different to be clay in the hands of God. He doesn’t have a mold into which he forces us. He does not produce multiple identical bowls or plates.
The most willingly pliable clay in the potter’s hand is the most passionately protected, respected, loved, and attended. He is devoted to the clay, working with the properties and qualities within it. The shaping is a partnership between the clay and the potter.
God’s hands don’t touch clay to impose a shape, but to FIND its shape.
He patiently removes the effects of an erroneous world to uncover the clay’s uniqueness. He applies careful pressure not for the purpose of conformity, but to correct what was wrongfully misshapen. Through his Holy Spirit, God meticulously works the clay until all the valuable qualities within become a harmonious part of the whole vessel.
For the good of the vessel. For the good of all vessels.
“But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.” – Isaiah 64:8
Photography by Lou Lourdeau. Thank you once again for sharing your talent.
A blog filled with stories, fountain pens, photography, and the Hebrew Bible
Encouragement and inspiration for your spiritual journey.
Learning to love life by living life.
"Hindsight is always 20/20. Lookin back, it's still a bit fuzzy." Dave Mustaine
What makes us different makes us great.
To every thing there is a season ~
an attempt at authentic awareness
New York Times Bestselling Author
Stuff That Needs To Be Said
empowering young writers online
To every thing there is a season ~
Timeless truth in a changing world
A small taste of life on the fringe of Prader-Willi Syndrome
Notes on a journey through Latin America
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2