Potter And Clay Sermons

The Potter~Repost | A Dusty Frame

Most of us have read a book or heard a sermon about the potter. It is an excellent illustration of how God molds and makes us into vessels fit for his use.

Many years ago, we were at a living history museum. We entered a potter’s shop.

My dad is a pastor and I’m sure he’s always looking for ways to apply real life into illustrations for preaching and teaching.

He watched the potter.

Several times, he’d spin and start forming the clay. Then he’d stop and smash it together. Then he went to the side of his work area where a piano wire was strung across. He’d throw the clay back and forth over the wire.

My dad asked what he was doing.

The potter said, “While I was forming this clay I found a stubborn spot in it. I have to cut it across the wire to work out the stubborn spot so I can use it.”

He went back to work on the clay nearly finishing a vase, when he smashed it together and went back to the wire.

Several times he did this until the clay was pliant.

My dad noticed a row of seemingly beautiful pots and vases on a shelf high above the work area. They were not down for sale.

My dad asked, “Are those special pieces?” The potter said. “No those are pieces that I didn’t get the stubborn spots out of well enough. When that piece went through the fire it cracked and is now totally unusable.”

Wow! This time in our lives is the being tossed back and forth across the piano wire to remove stubborn spots.

I don’t like it. It’s getting very long. And yet, I don’t want to be a seemingly pretty pot put up high on a shelf unable to be used.

Thank you, Lord for working out our stubborn spots.

Please make us useable.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!