Reshaped

But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do.

Jeremiah 18:4

A quick review of the events that led to the challenging prophecies found in the book of Jeremiah reveals a number of “flaws” in God’s people. Like clay that is marred in the hands of a potter, change was necessary. Chief among those flaws was their attraction to idolatry and their rejection of God. Despite the warnings of Moses, the cycle of deliverance and punishment during the days of the “judges” and the consequences in their more recent past, the sin of idolatry had gained a foothold again and the situation in Judah was dire. Thus, the command to “Turn now, each from your evil way, and correct your ways and your deeds.” (v. 11). As I have reflected on the words of Jeremiah 18 this week, it’s easy for me to distill a personal message from the national description. Recently, I read an article by Christiane Caine about leadership and calling. In the article, Caine suggests “The gift that is on your life will destroy you if your character cannot sustain you”. During Jeremiah’s time, Judah seemed content with the status of begin “gifted” as the people of God without examining the implications of character that were required to sustain them on the right path. This is a flaw that is epidemic in modern culture. Our desire for the blessings of God (or the fame of leadership) can quickly circumvent our passion for the character of Christ. That brings me back to the potter. The potter made a vessel that seemed right for him to make. In modern terms we can see a parallel to Christian formation. The development of Christ-like character is the work of the Holy Spirit on the potter’s wheel of life. It is a dynamic process and frequently arduous. Sometimes, in order for the fingerprints of God to be evident, the hands of the Potter must work out the impurities of pride and selfishness. Sadly, the pressure applied by the hands of the Potter on my life and my character has been met with resistance on more than one occasion. God help me become the vessel that “seems right to You”.