But the pot he was shaping was marred in his hands;  so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as it seemed best to him.

Jeremiah 18: 3 & 4 (NIV)

My grandson’s stuffed toys bring him much pleasure. He talks to them. He sleeps with them. Rarely does he ever get in the car without one or two in tow.

Occasionally, a seam may come undone. An ear or other appendage may rip, but he does not panic. He brings it to me, his Tida. He knows I can fix it right up because I can sew by hand and on a sewing machine. I can fix it because it is fixable, and I have the skills to do it.

God told Jeremiah to go down to a potter’s house to receive a message. There he noticed a “marred” pot in the making. Something just did not seem right. Because the pot was pliable, the potter remade the impaired object into a better one, one which could be more usable to its maker and usable for its purpose.

God knows us. He talks to us. He knows which weaknesses keep us from being able to serve him to the fullest. With his skillful hands he molds us into a vessel He can use. He strengthens our weaknesses. He “shapes us as it seems best to him.”

Our part? Give him our insecurities and flaws because He knows what to repair. Rest in his capable hands. Allow him to give us confidence in his power. We have faith in him. He wants to fix our imperfections for his glory.

We know this truth because He is the potter in Jeremiah’s story and as his children, we are the clay.

God, our maker, our potter, thank you for not letting us stay “marred.” Thank you for shaping us into what you need us to be if we will let you. Do not let our pride stand in the way. Mold us, oh God.

Susan Partida