by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”
Jeremiah 18:3–6
God frequently used captivating images from everyday life to illustrate deep spiritual truths to His people. That was the case when He sent the prophet Jeremiah to visit a craftsman making clay pots. Jeremiah was called to minister to a nation that did not want to hear from God. They were perfectly happy to join the worship of Jehovah in small measure with the false religions of their neighbors, but they had no interest in obeying His commandments.
The culture of Jeremiah’s day was very much like our own. Today many people claim to follow some form of Christianity, but it is mixed with all sorts of false religion. Calling for obedience to divine commands is considered to be at least old fashioned, if not outright bigotry. Yet God is the Potter, and we are the clay. He made us, He owns us, and He has the absolute and complete right to dictate to us how we should live and act.
As long as we insist on our rights and our way, we will not obey God’s command. We must remember that we are not in charge of our lives and live according to the precepts of the Word of God. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Today’s Growth Principle:
Recognizing God’s total right of control over our lives should motivate us to obedience.
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