Reading Isaiah 64 and Jeremiah 18 today I put myself in the shoes of the clay; if that is possible. I began thinking about how clay is prepared by the potter to be shaped into something of his/her desire. I am not a potter, but I remember fourth grade art. I remember playing with 'Playdough' with my kids. I remember watching some potters through my lifetime and seeing their intense working of the clay.
Sometimes the clay is kneaded like bread dough to work in water and soften it. Sometimes it is rolled to lengthen it. Sometimes it is even thrown on the ground in an effort to promote elasticity. My kids used to put 'Playdough' in little vices and 'pasta' making machines and squish it until it submitted to them.
Well, maybe we can take the metaphor too far. But, God does want us to be like clay in His hands. The illustration in Jeremiah is of a potter changing his mind mid-creation. It even alludes to the fact that the first idea didn't work out (I'm not sure if that was because the clay didn't submit, but it may be implied.) so he finished with a whole new idea.
Three thoughts come to mind here. First, God wants to take us and make us into something. We don't have to make ourselves into something. We don't have to 'become' what God desires for us. We only need to submit ourselves to the potter's hand and allow him to make us into his desired image! That is not necessarily easy, but possible. I believe it takes humility and pressure from the Holy Spirit. I don't know if God intentionally throws us on the ground or puts us through a vice-like pasta machine, but, if he did, would we submit? If his preparation for making us into his image caused pain, would we say he was a bad God and jump off the table? James says that our trials cause us to mature. Isaiah asks why the clay should be able to tell the potter what to make it into. I'm not saying that God hurts us on purpose. I'm saying that cutting things out of our life and taking an honest look at how we need to change might hurt. But, in the long run, God's intentions for us are to allow us to look back in the mirror and be pleased by seeing his creation.
Second, if you are in a situation that seems like no one nor nothing can fix it; don't give up on God! He is able to take clay that no one else (even the clay itself) could make beautiful and make it an amazing creation! Just because we sinned or wandered away or rebelled in some other way doesn't mean God can't make something of our lives! Jump back on the table. Let the Holy Spirit add a little water. Let God begin to work with you again. He can and will create something that you never dreamed could come from your life!
Third, don't be jealous of what your neighbor, spouse, children, friends at church, or anyone else is shaping up to look like. Just because you are an art piece and your neighbor is a bowl doesn't mean you won't be used. Just because you are a cup and you think your spouse the wind chime is much more attractive than you doesn't mean that God doesn't see beauty in you! Listen to Simon Cowell. Save us all from embarrassment. Don't join the choir of you can't sing. God works miracles, but allow him to give you a singing voice before you join...please. My point is that we are all being made into the image that God wants if we are submitting to him! There is beauty and purpose in all of us in his hands!
So, while the image of being clay is not always pleasant, we are God's clay and that is what matters! We are Gods and God is ours and the relationship is one of long standing plan and preparation for this time in history; and we are part of it. Keeping in step with the Spirit means that we look in the mirror to see what God is creating, not to see what we want to see.
Author
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Walls of Purpose
In the first two chapters of the book of Nehemiah, we are told that God placed a desire in Nehemiah's heart to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city walls. He was the cupbearer to king Artaxerxes of the Persian Empire. This meant that his job was very important and that his life would have been very comfortable. It wasn't easy to find a guy who actually enjoyed tasting the king's wine to see if it was poisoned. So, the fact that he would return to a place that he had little authority (except that which the king would give him in a letter), and enter a venture that was sure by human opinions to fail, was nothing short of a God-given task in deed.
I understand why Nehemiah would want to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls around the city of his God. In Nehemiah's time, cities without walls were laughed at. Cities without walls were treated as having little consequence in the lives of their neighbors and in the affairs of the region in which they lay. So, for Nehemiah to attend to this project was akin to us having the President of the United States visit our town and give us a commendation for volunteerism, or charity work, or creating jobs for our country. It was a statement of love for his city and an acknowledgement that he saw it as a great city, not the ruin that it was.
But, God doesn't look on the outside of things to determine the worth that they hold. So why would he care about Jerusalem's walls? Why would he place it on Nehemiah's heart to return and rebuild them? Why was this so important?
I believe it was the mission of God in action that caused God to care so much. It was the fact that God had ordained that the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world would come through those very walls! God promised Abraham that he would bless all the nations of the world through Israel. He had brought them back from captivity so he could do just that. And now, he was restoring the beauty and grandeur of HIS city so that all nations would recognize God's power and authority over all created things; even kings! These walls were not for Nehemiah, nor for Ezra, nor for the Persian Empire to brag about! These walls were for Israel to brag on their God about! God was restoring the credentials of Israel so that the world could look past the city to the God of the city.
Does God care about the walls in your life? If they have a greater purpose to bring attention to God and the good news of Christ, then he always cares! If we will submit the use of our walls to him, then we can expect him to help us build, or rebuild them every time. God loves us and wants to build walls for us anyway, but the real promise comes as we see HIS purpose for our walls!
I understand why Nehemiah would want to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls around the city of his God. In Nehemiah's time, cities without walls were laughed at. Cities without walls were treated as having little consequence in the lives of their neighbors and in the affairs of the region in which they lay. So, for Nehemiah to attend to this project was akin to us having the President of the United States visit our town and give us a commendation for volunteerism, or charity work, or creating jobs for our country. It was a statement of love for his city and an acknowledgement that he saw it as a great city, not the ruin that it was.
But, God doesn't look on the outside of things to determine the worth that they hold. So why would he care about Jerusalem's walls? Why would he place it on Nehemiah's heart to return and rebuild them? Why was this so important?
I believe it was the mission of God in action that caused God to care so much. It was the fact that God had ordained that the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world would come through those very walls! God promised Abraham that he would bless all the nations of the world through Israel. He had brought them back from captivity so he could do just that. And now, he was restoring the beauty and grandeur of HIS city so that all nations would recognize God's power and authority over all created things; even kings! These walls were not for Nehemiah, nor for Ezra, nor for the Persian Empire to brag about! These walls were for Israel to brag on their God about! God was restoring the credentials of Israel so that the world could look past the city to the God of the city.
Does God care about the walls in your life? If they have a greater purpose to bring attention to God and the good news of Christ, then he always cares! If we will submit the use of our walls to him, then we can expect him to help us build, or rebuild them every time. God loves us and wants to build walls for us anyway, but the real promise comes as we see HIS purpose for our walls!
Friday, September 24, 2010
If You are Willing
My take on the thoughts and experience of the leper in Mark 1:40-45; from his fictional perspective:
I had heard about this man before.
I had heard that the religious leaders were trying to discount his teaching.
But, it's kind of hard to discount teaching that is evidenced by such miracles.
When he came back to Galilee and started telling people about the truth in the Law of Moses and healing people, I wondered if he would come this way.
I was hesitant to make my way to town though.
Every time I go near the place and yell out UCLEAN, UNCLEAN, I'm so humiliated that it takes me months to want to do that again!
But, if this guy could really do what everyone is saying he can...it's worth the trip and the humiliation.
Sure enough, not long after I got to town I started hearing a commotion. I only dared to leave my hiding place when I really thought it was him.
Was this worth it? Was it worth the punishment that would come by letting myself be found in a public place. To be discovered a leper in town was bad enough, but there would be religious leaders with him for sure. What would they do to me if they knew I dared get that close to them?
Not to mention my sin. I wasn't sure what it was but, to be given this fate by God, I had to have done something! There must have been a time that I did something so bad that God thought I deserved this punishment. Why would this teacher and healer do anything for a guy like me? Those other people must have been good people that happened to have small problems.
I barely gave it thought before the noise of the crowd grew louder. It was time to make my move; they might kill me, but it was this or death anyway!
As I pushed my way through the crowd I caught sight of his eyes. I wasn't sure what he looked like or who exactly I was looking for, but, when I saw his eyes, the compassion that they held, the concern for all those around him, I knew this was him!
I fell on my knees and begged him to heal me. I knew by looking into his eyes that the stories were true! I knew that if he wanted to he could make me clean.
He stretched out his hand to me and TOUCHED ME! I hadn't been touched in years...not even by my wife or mother! But this man had such compassion that he overlooked the possibility of contaminating himself.
Then, I looked at my hands and there was no more white skin... no more missing fingers. This Jesus had made me into the man I used to be! He cleaned me up and change my destiny! Not only that... I knew that whatever I had done to deserve this punishment was washed away with the disease!
He told me to do the ritual thing and tell the priest and offer my sacrifice. Beyond that I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. The miracle was supposed to be for the religious leaders only. But I couldn't keep it to myself! This man had done an awesome thing and I was convinced he was more than just a teacher. I hope I didn't mess anything up for him, but this was too good to keep to myself!
I'm healed and renewed and only Jesus could have done that for me!
Never say that your sin is too much for Jesus to forgive! Never say that your situation is too great (or too small) for Jesus to intervene in! Jesus loves you just as much as He loved this leper!
I had heard about this man before.
I had heard that the religious leaders were trying to discount his teaching.
But, it's kind of hard to discount teaching that is evidenced by such miracles.
When he came back to Galilee and started telling people about the truth in the Law of Moses and healing people, I wondered if he would come this way.
I was hesitant to make my way to town though.
Every time I go near the place and yell out UCLEAN, UNCLEAN, I'm so humiliated that it takes me months to want to do that again!
But, if this guy could really do what everyone is saying he can...it's worth the trip and the humiliation.
Sure enough, not long after I got to town I started hearing a commotion. I only dared to leave my hiding place when I really thought it was him.
Was this worth it? Was it worth the punishment that would come by letting myself be found in a public place. To be discovered a leper in town was bad enough, but there would be religious leaders with him for sure. What would they do to me if they knew I dared get that close to them?
Not to mention my sin. I wasn't sure what it was but, to be given this fate by God, I had to have done something! There must have been a time that I did something so bad that God thought I deserved this punishment. Why would this teacher and healer do anything for a guy like me? Those other people must have been good people that happened to have small problems.
I barely gave it thought before the noise of the crowd grew louder. It was time to make my move; they might kill me, but it was this or death anyway!
As I pushed my way through the crowd I caught sight of his eyes. I wasn't sure what he looked like or who exactly I was looking for, but, when I saw his eyes, the compassion that they held, the concern for all those around him, I knew this was him!
I fell on my knees and begged him to heal me. I knew by looking into his eyes that the stories were true! I knew that if he wanted to he could make me clean.
He stretched out his hand to me and TOUCHED ME! I hadn't been touched in years...not even by my wife or mother! But this man had such compassion that he overlooked the possibility of contaminating himself.
Then, I looked at my hands and there was no more white skin... no more missing fingers. This Jesus had made me into the man I used to be! He cleaned me up and change my destiny! Not only that... I knew that whatever I had done to deserve this punishment was washed away with the disease!
He told me to do the ritual thing and tell the priest and offer my sacrifice. Beyond that I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. The miracle was supposed to be for the religious leaders only. But I couldn't keep it to myself! This man had done an awesome thing and I was convinced he was more than just a teacher. I hope I didn't mess anything up for him, but this was too good to keep to myself!
I'm healed and renewed and only Jesus could have done that for me!
Never say that your sin is too much for Jesus to forgive! Never say that your situation is too great (or too small) for Jesus to intervene in! Jesus loves you just as much as He loved this leper!
Purpose
Allow me to start this blog by giving my purpose for its creation.
In my study of Galatians chapter 5, I discovered that Paul asks us to live by the Spirit by keeping in step with the Spirit (NIV). I had to ask myself what "keeping in step with the Spirit means." How does one begin this process? How does one know where the Spirit is walking? How does one deal with the rocks and sticks in the road that might keep us from walking where He is walking?
Those questions are what I seek to answer in this blog. I will simply put my thoughts and personal answers into writing. Together we can seek to live by the Spirit.
In my study of Galatians chapter 5, I discovered that Paul asks us to live by the Spirit by keeping in step with the Spirit (NIV). I had to ask myself what "keeping in step with the Spirit means." How does one begin this process? How does one know where the Spirit is walking? How does one deal with the rocks and sticks in the road that might keep us from walking where He is walking?
Those questions are what I seek to answer in this blog. I will simply put my thoughts and personal answers into writing. Together we can seek to live by the Spirit.
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