From Jeremiah 18: 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 "Come, go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it,8 but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9 And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. 11Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
"Crackpots I Have Known and Loved" is a blog article written by a Perkins professor that I know and appreciate, The Rev. Dr. John Holbert. Way back in the 80s upon his arrival to Perkins, I invited him to be lecturer for The Elliott Lectures that United Methodist Campus Ministry used to host, and he did an outstanding job. In his article of reflection on this passage, Dr. Holbert says that the potter in this story probably made the everyday sort of pottery that was useful and available for the everyday tasks of holding grain or water. So, this trip to the potter's house may have not been a new adventure for Jeremiah. He had probably been there before, but this time it's with a prophetic perspective. Dr. Holbert also says that prophets were funny that way; their outlook on life was a bit different from ours, which is why God chose them!
The experience that day was to see how this artisan worked at his wheel. Jeremiah saw the clay being formed into a vessel; "spoiled" at first, but re-worked by him into one that "seemed good to him." God then asks Jeremiah, "Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." The point is that God is powerful and sovereign over Israel. God's desire is for the vessel of Israel to be that which contains love and purpose for God, but what God was seeing was a vessel cracked to the point of not holding love and purpose for God, instead that leaked out and other things were leaking in. God's question, what are you good for now? A vessel that lets the good water seep out in cracks, will also let the sweat from our hands seep into it, spoiling the water meant for drinking, and in the same way, that which we were meant to hold in and also share with others has left us; what has taken its place?
We must remember that God is still the potter on us. If we feel that we are not where we were meant to be in our relationship and service to God, we can ask to be remade. The Bible has that clear message that we are given second, third, fourth, one hundredth chances to be remade and made new. Cracked pots that we are, God still loves us!
PRAYER: Loving God, remake me today. I want to hold You and Your love in so that when an opportunity to share You presents itself I can take full advantage of it. Thank You for loving me just as I am, but You are the Potter and I need to be made new. This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
