The Potter and the Clay
Tony Nester
Jeremiah 18:1-12
Jeremiah is famous for his words of judgment and doom against the people of Judah. Here's is a sample of his prophecy.
(Jeremiah 6:16-26 NRSV)
God was giving Jeremiah a vision of the coming destruction of Jerusalem. It was a painful vision to bear. Jeremiah would look at the City of Jerusalem and see its future: the crops burned and people going hungry, men, women and children being slaughtered by the sword of an invading army, the destruction of the city, the forced march into exile.
Jeremiah cried out in sorrow and grief for this people:
(Jeremiah 9:1 NRSV)
God gave Jeremiah some relief. There are places in the book of Jeremiah where a glimmer of hope shines in the gloom of judgment. Our Scripture reading today is one of those places.
God tells Jeremiah that he has a word to speak to him. This word will be given to Jeremiah when he goes and watches a potter working at his potter's wheel with clay. Here's the story Jeremiah tells about that visit to the potter's house.
(Jeremiah 18:1-12 NRSV)
Watching the potter turn the wheel and work the clay enables Jeremiah to grasp several important truths.
The first truth Jeremiah recognizes is that God shapes with a purpose in mind. When a potter begins to work with a lump of clay a vision begins to take shape. With every move of his or her hands, with each added touch of pressure or release, the purpose of the potter begins to form. What exists in the mind of the potter begins to form in the shape of the clay.
That is how it is with God who shapes people, and nations, and churches. God looks at you and me, this nation and this church, with a vision in mind for what God wants us to become. God is not arbitrary in his acts. God is not random in his kindness nor aimless with his judgment. God is, has been, always will be visionary. At the potters house Jeremiah had his faith renewed in the God who shapes with a purpose, and Jeremiah ...
Tony Nester
Jeremiah 18:1-12
Jeremiah is famous for his words of judgment and doom against the people of Judah. Here's is a sample of his prophecy.
(Jeremiah 6:16-26 NRSV)
God was giving Jeremiah a vision of the coming destruction of Jerusalem. It was a painful vision to bear. Jeremiah would look at the City of Jerusalem and see its future: the crops burned and people going hungry, men, women and children being slaughtered by the sword of an invading army, the destruction of the city, the forced march into exile.
Jeremiah cried out in sorrow and grief for this people:
(Jeremiah 9:1 NRSV)
God gave Jeremiah some relief. There are places in the book of Jeremiah where a glimmer of hope shines in the gloom of judgment. Our Scripture reading today is one of those places.
God tells Jeremiah that he has a word to speak to him. This word will be given to Jeremiah when he goes and watches a potter working at his potter's wheel with clay. Here's the story Jeremiah tells about that visit to the potter's house.
(Jeremiah 18:1-12 NRSV)
Watching the potter turn the wheel and work the clay enables Jeremiah to grasp several important truths.
The first truth Jeremiah recognizes is that God shapes with a purpose in mind. When a potter begins to work with a lump of clay a vision begins to take shape. With every move of his or her hands, with each added touch of pressure or release, the purpose of the potter begins to form. What exists in the mind of the potter begins to form in the shape of the clay.
That is how it is with God who shapes people, and nations, and churches. God looks at you and me, this nation and this church, with a vision in mind for what God wants us to become. God is not arbitrary in his acts. God is not random in his kindness nor aimless with his judgment. God is, has been, always will be visionary. At the potters house Jeremiah had his faith renewed in the God who shapes with a purpose, and Jeremiah ...
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