Jer 18:1-6 explained that God is the Potter and we are the clay.
We are like the clay that God wants to shape us. It is a painful process, but we have to bear. Because God wants to make us the best in His sight.
Haven’t you see the vase or a beautiful Chinese vase? Do you know the process until they become so beautiful and elegant?
1. Choosing a good clay
Clay has to be good. Clay is not beautiful, it is dirt, ugly, sticky.
Like clay, God has chosen us from this word, among the dirty of this world. But He chose us, he knows that He can make something from us.
2. Shaping
A Potter has a picture in his mind what he want to make. And he start shapping it, he will bound with his hand, throw it on the wheeling table, smash it again and again until he feels that the clay is ready to be form. And he start shaping it on the wheel table. If he thinks that it is not good enought, he will smash it again, processing again until he thinks that the object is perfect in his eyes.
As unto us, God also has the process to shape us. He has a plan in His mind for us, but whatever it is, it is beautiful in His eyes.
Yes, It is painful sometimes that we dont understand. But we have to put it in our heart and mind that God wants to use us, and for that we have to be ready in this process.
3. Burning
After the vase of the clay is ready, the potter will put it in the oven and burn it with a high heat.
God use the temptation, struggling, problems to make us stronger in Him. God doesnt want us to quit, but we have to endure in Him.
Sometimes we become weak and weary with all these things, but God will strenghten us. In Isaiah 40:31 said “But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength,…” People tend to think, what we are doing for God seems foolish. But is it not for God. For God has a purpose.
After the burning process, the vase has become strong, instead of the clay which was so soft before the burning. Porter will paint it and the vase is ready.
There will be a time when all of this finished, He will choose the beautiful vase. God loves us so mcuh that He doesnt want to loose any single of us. He wants us to endure until the end. There will be a time when God come to us, He will find a pure GOLD in us.
God bless.