May 26

God's Workmanship

But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand. — Isa 64:8 BSB

The craft of the potter is one of the oldest in the world, and its methods have hardly changed over the centuries. Both Jeremiah and Isaiah referred to it (Jeremiah 18:1-4). While observing a potter at work, Jeremiah watched as he took a lump of moistened clay, placed it on the wheel, and began shaping it according to his design. As the vessel neared completion, it collapsed—some of the clay fell to the ground, and some remained on the wheel. But instead of discarding the spoiled clay, the potter gathered it up and began reshaping it into another vessel. This is still what God does today.

God is our Master Potter. “But now, O Lord, You are our Father.” Some of you reading this may have experienced the joy of parenthood. When a child is first placed in your arms, a new passion is born in your heart, along with new resolutions. In that moment, you are driven to protect, nurture, teach, and love. Prayers arise in your heart that echo the heart of God, from whom all love springs.

Has God instilled these feelings in us without possessing the original and perfect form of them Himself? For a moment, stop thinking of yourself as a child, and instead think of God as your Father. Your spirit came from the Father of spirits. You were called into being by His word. Within you is a thought or purpose He wanted to express. Is He not fully committed to perfecting His work in you? Of course, you can resist Him, as the clay was marred in the potter’s hands. You may wander into a far country and waste your formative years in selfish pursuits. But if you will allow the Great Father to fulfill His purpose through your life—especially in prayer and growth—you will discover that “no eye has seen, nor ear heard” what God has prepared for those who wait for Him (Isaiah 64:4).

Prayer

O God, our Father, help us never to doubt Your unending mercy. Teach us not to fear the noise of the wheels in Your great workshop. Enable us to trust that You are weaving the fabric of our lives on the loom of daily circumstances. Perfect Your work in us, we pray. Amen.