When God created us He had a purpose in mind. Like like an artist has a plan for a piece of art. An artist is usually inspired by something to create a piece of art and has a plan and a purpose. Sometimes that purpose is to just add beauty, or it may be more functional to hold flowers or utensils, or something from which to drink, maybe to carry light.
God uses the imagery of a potter sculpting a piece of pottery. “Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 (NIV). God formed us in His image, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, …” Genesis 1:26 (NIV). And He has a plan for our lives, “For I know the plans I have for you, …” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV).
When the potter takes a block of clay, or a lump of clay it has no aesthetic form. The clay out of the package is moist and pliable, it can be easily formed and molded into anything the potter wants.
But before the potter begins, the potter has a plan, a design and a purpose in mind for the pot. The clay is slapped down on the potter’s wheel and is pounded. It is kneaded like bread to get the air out. The potter does this for a few minutes and as he does this kneading process, the clay becomes warm and softer. The the clay is slapped down one more time on the wheel and as the wheel begins to turn the potter wraps his hands around the lump of clay and begins to give it form. The clay can get a little dry from the friction of the potter’s hands, so the potter wets his hands and adds water to the clay and continues to shape and form the pot.
Now comes the time to add more pressure, this time from the top to make an opening, hollowing out the inside. By adding pressure at certain points on the outside, the potter can create grooves and curves giving the pot some interest and design. The potter is almost done. The lip of the pot is formed and smoothed out, he gives the it one final spin on the wheel, checking it, looking it over. The wheel stops and he takes a piece of string, slides it under the newly formed pot and lifts it off the wheel.
Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; …”
Isaiah 64:8
He takes it to a shelf with other pieces to dry for a few weeks. That clay, that lump of clay has been through a lot, pounding, kneading, spinning, pressure from all sides, from the top, emptied out, now resting on shelf, in the stillness, nothing happening, no movement, other pieces come and go, it’s still there just resting until the potter is ready to bake it.
The days pass and the potter takes the pot off the shelf. It is dry now. It is ready. It is ready to be baked in the kiln. The temperature in a kiln gets between 2124 – 2264 degrees Fahrenheit. The pot will bake for up to ten hours in the kiln. When the firing is complete and things have cooled down the potter takes the pot and gets it ready for its desired use.
The potter’s room is square like most rooms and as a matter of fact everything is square in the room, pictures, windows, furniture, books, bookcases, area rugs, tables, everything is square. The pot is round and will add contrast to the square room. (sometimes a contrast could be a compliment, opposites do attract). It will be obvious of it’s roundness. The pot will also have several uses. It will first hold fresh cut flowers. When the flowers fade the potter has another use, to hold paint brushes , pens, and pencils.
But one day the pot falls and breaks into several several pieces. Still, the potter loves this little pot and puts it back together. The cracks form an interesting pattern and the potter paints the cracks into a pretty motif. He adds more fresh flowers and water. The pot is holding water again. The pot is more beautiful with it’s pretty painted motif. It’s adding more beauty to the room, standing out even more.
How much like that pot are we after we are broken and healed? How have you experienced brokenness? Have you healed? Are you the same? What has changed for you?
Pause and think about your brokenness, where has it brought it you? How have you healed? Maybe you haven’t healed, maybe you’re in the process. There is hope and there’s more to this story, like there’s more to our brokenness. Stay tuned for next week.
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The Kedge Anchor 
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