This reading is based on Jeremiah 18 that is read in accordance with the Revived by His Word initiative of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
My very first job after high school was in a wood-shop. I did that for about four and one half years. On reflection there were some important things I learned during those years:
1. A chair never had to worry about how it was going to be built. That was always my concern - from design, to selecting material, to cutting, shaping, and sanding the pieces, to fitting it all together, to finishing it. In all this, the chair did nothing. I guess its the same for pottery, as it definitely is for our Creator/Redeemer God.
2. The ultimate test of competence came with doing repair work. That's the hardest; it takes great patience, and many persons shy away from that sort of job. It's always easier to start a job from scratch. Perhaps that's why, while the original creation of man took place within a 24 hour period, the work of sanctification is the work of a lifetime. I'm glad that God as the consummate Master Artist has tremendous patience and commitment to making a thing of beauty of my life. Moses captures it beautifully in Ex 34: 6, 7 " And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth/ Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...."
3. Some materials are harder than others to work with; they require special attention. Sometimes, in view of certain recurring problems that I face, I feel like a particularly difficult material to work. It's again good to know that God has the expertise and willingness to work with my peculiar traits, and will yet make a thing of beauty of me.
Prayer
Father in Heaven, it is comforting to know that it is not up to me to make myself worthy of life, but that that is Your gift of grace to me. Thank You for Your grace and mercy, and it is my desire to be in Your display window showing the world what they may become in Your hands. Use me I pray, amen.
Charles Evans
To read and/or listen to Jeremiah 18 and to read other related blogs, please click here.
Photo credits: click here
My very first job after high school was in a wood-shop. I did that for about four and one half years. On reflection there were some important things I learned during those years:
1. A chair never had to worry about how it was going to be built. That was always my concern - from design, to selecting material, to cutting, shaping, and sanding the pieces, to fitting it all together, to finishing it. In all this, the chair did nothing. I guess its the same for pottery, as it definitely is for our Creator/Redeemer God.
2. The ultimate test of competence came with doing repair work. That's the hardest; it takes great patience, and many persons shy away from that sort of job. It's always easier to start a job from scratch. Perhaps that's why, while the original creation of man took place within a 24 hour period, the work of sanctification is the work of a lifetime. I'm glad that God as the consummate Master Artist has tremendous patience and commitment to making a thing of beauty of my life. Moses captures it beautifully in Ex 34: 6, 7 " And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth/ Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...."
3. Some materials are harder than others to work with; they require special attention. Sometimes, in view of certain recurring problems that I face, I feel like a particularly difficult material to work. It's again good to know that God has the expertise and willingness to work with my peculiar traits, and will yet make a thing of beauty of me.
Prayer
Father in Heaven, it is comforting to know that it is not up to me to make myself worthy of life, but that that is Your gift of grace to me. Thank You for Your grace and mercy, and it is my desire to be in Your display window showing the world what they may become in Your hands. Use me I pray, amen.
Charles Evans
To read and/or listen to Jeremiah 18 and to read other related blogs, please click here.
Photo credits: click here
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