The Lord gave another
message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak
to you there.” So I did as he told me
and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn
out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started
over. Then the Lord gave me this message:
“O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As
the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand….”
The prophet Jeremiah, having observed the local potter at
work, understands now GOD’s supreme authority over the Nation of Israel, GOD’s
chosen people, and accepts that GOD is justified in whatever judgement He
decides against them.
‘This is what the Lord
says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil
ways, each of you, and do what is right. But the people replied, “Don’t waste
your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our
own evil desires.” Jeremiah 18:12 NLT
Not until it was too late, did the Nation of Israel recognize
that to fight against GOD’s will is to fight a losing battle. GOD is a just Judge
and He offered them a chance to do right but they rejected the offer and chose His
wrath instead.
We who claim to be children of GOD, yet choose to go our own
way, do so to our own detriment. “What
sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with
its maker?” Isaiah 45:9
GOD’s has an unquestionable sovereignty over His people.
GOD formed us out of clay and has the same power over us
that a potter has over clay. GOD controls the purpose and calling of His people
and we must submit our will to GOD’s wisdom, just as clay does to the potter’s.
In the Old Testament GOD asserted His power through prophets.
Now, GOD speaks to us through His SON and His WORD by which He tells us what we
ought to do and how He will respond to disobedience. Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through
the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.
Hebrews 1:1-2
At the same time, GOD’s WORD assures us that He is a righteous
and merciful Judge who, one Bible Commentary says, always goes by fixed rules of equity and goodness. GOD is
immutable, He does exactly what He says He will do, and thus we can never be surprised
by His response to our action, good or bad.
God is not a man, so
he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever
spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Numbers 23:19
GOD is also omniscient and from the beginning of time designed and knew our purposes.
“I alone am God! I am
God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even
happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” Isaiah 46:9-10
The 19th century American Christian writer J. R. Miller (1840-1912) wrote an article
on “Submission” in which he said that Christian have a duty to be wholly, fully and forever submitted to
the Father’s will, whatever it may be. Mr. Miller also said in part:
O! how the Christian
should glory in God’s choosing for him the lot of his inheritance, and be
content with that condition which Heaven accounts best for him, though not the
grandest or greatest; nor the richest or happiest; nor that state he most
desires. I am not my own—for I am bought
with a price, and dearly paid for too! Would it not be too daring for me to
instruct God how to decorate the heavens, how to set the sun, station the moon,
place the poles, plant the stars, and guide the wandering planets? Now, I am as
much his by right, (yes, in the ties of love, more,) and as much at his
disposal, as any of these his other creatures; and if I cannot complain of his
conduct with these, why quarrel at his providences toward me? ….God’s way is
not only equitable in itself, but profitable for his people, for the latter end
of the righteous is peace; and the end of the Lord is always gracious to his
afflicted ones—who chooses them in the furnace of affliction, brings light out
of darkness, order out of confusion, real good out of seeming evil; and,
finally, brings through fire and water to a place of eternal glory!
Mr. Miller’s very insightful commentary is clear – yielding ourselves, body and mind to the will of GOD
works for the good of all creation as well as to the glory of the ONE to whom all our works, all our purposes, and all our
life wanderings are known from the beginning!
GOD is the Potter, we are the clay!
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he
pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold
back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” Daniel 4:35
Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy NAME!
THY Kingdom come, THY will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. YOU give us
each day our daily bread; YOU forgive us our trespasses against YOU and teach
us by example how to forgiven others their trespasses against us; YOU do not
tempt us to evil but you deliver us from evil. YOU, O GOD, are our good, good
Father who from the beginning of time knew that we would be unworthy and
stiff-necked creatures but provided for us a way of salvation and sanctification.
Without YOU we are nothing! It is YOUR breath in our lungs that turned us from
lumps of clay to living souls. We thank and praise YOU for YOUR wisdom –
though we may see ourselves as not the grandest or greatest; the richest or
happiest; nor whatever status we think we deserve, we are yet fit for the
MASTER’s use in YOUR perfect plan. ALL
praise, honor and glory to YOU! We pray all things in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST,
our SAVIOR and LORD. Amen!
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
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