STILL ON THE WHEEL
From Jeremiah 18:3-4, we read, “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”
STILL ON THE WHEEL. I heard about a man who decided he was going to save money by cutting his own hair. He watched a few YouTube videos online, grabbed a pair of clippers, and headed to the bathroom mirror. About fifteen minutes later, things weren’t looking so good. Actually, that’s an extreme understatement. There were bald spots where hair should have been and patches of hair where bald spots should have been. Then his wife saw him. At first, she just stared at him thinking, “What in the world have you done now?” Then, trying not to deflate him more, she said, “Well, I guess it’ll grow back!” What started as a masterpiece in his mind ended as a project that needed a lot more work. Most of us know what it’s like to have something turn out differently than we planned. We’ve all made mistakes, taken wrong turns, or watched parts of our lives become marred by poor choices or unexpected disappointments.
WHAT A PICTURE OF GRACE! That’s the lesson Jeremiah learned in our verses for today when God sent him down to the potter’s house. As he watched, the vessel being formed, it became marred in the potter’s hand. Something went wrong with the clay. Yet what happened next is the part I love most. The potter didn’t throw the clay away. He didn’t toss it into a scrap pile and start over with new clay. Instead, he took the same clay and made it again into another vessel. Have you ever felt like that marred vessel? Maybe you’ve failed. Maybe you’ve stumbled. Maybe you’ve made decisions you wish you could take back. The devil would love for you to believe that because you’ve been marred, you’re no longer useful. But Jeremiah’s visit to the potter’s house teaches us otherwise.
YOU’VE NOT SLIPPED FROM HIS GRIP!
Notice that the vessel was marred in the potter’s hand. Don’t miss this point. *Even when it was flawed, it never left his hand. Friend, you have to agree, that’s a comforting truth. Your setbacks, failures, and disappointments have not caused you to slip from God’s grip. You may not understand what He’s doing, but His hand is still upon your life. Amen?! Please notice this…The Bible says the potter “made it again another vessel.” Aren’t you thankful for those words? Peter denied the Lord, yet God used him again. Jonah ran from God’s will, yet God used him again. John Mark quit on the mission field, yet God used him again. Our God is a God who specializes in “made it again.” There’s another lesson here I need to remember more than anyone reading this! Not only is God still working on us, He is still working on those we love. Sometimes we look at a wayward child, a struggling spouse, a prodigal family member, or a discouraged friend and wonder if they will ever change. If we’re not careful, we can become impatient because we only see what they are right now. But God sees what they can become. The same Potter who is shaping your life is also shaping theirs. They may not be where they need to be, but they’re not finished yet. They’re still on the wheel too!
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Perhaps you’re going through a very difficult time right now. The wheel is spinning, the pressure is great, and you can’t understand why God is allowing certain things in your life. Remember, the clay cannot see what the potter sees. The Potter already has the finished vessel in mind. So don’t give up. Don’t quit. Don’t jump off the wheel. Why? The Potter is still working. That’s what the Lord is saying to you and me today! Remember, you’re still on the wheel. So, don’t worry about the pressure, trust the Potter’s hands…the nail scarred hands! Think it over…🙏