January 27, 2023
My Dearly beloved in Christ, I greet and bless you all in the name of the Lord and Saviour. God says, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” (Jeremiah 1:5). He will never forsake you (Psalm 34:10).
In God’s hands, we are like clay. When we surrender ourselves completely to be moulded according to His will, there is no doubt that He will mould us into a perfect vessel.
Once a couple visited a certain shop in a city. This shop had a good collection of flowerpots, pottery, antique pieces, and multicolored beautiful teacups. The couple were fascinated by these teacups. They wondered how those teacups were designed and fashioned. Noticing their interest, the teacup immediately spoke up saying, “You have no idea about how I was made. The reason for my existence is my master. I haven’t always been this perfect. My master devoted a lot of time in breaking, baking and elegantly fashioning me. The result of his handiwork is the reason I am a beautiful teacup in front of you.
The teacup went on to further elaborate on the process of its creation. The master would first take the clay and pound it well before kneading it. He would keep crushing and kneading the clay over and over again. The teacup would cry, “Please leave me, it’s very painful.” But the master went on to place the pliable clay on the potter’s wheel and swirl it. The clay felt dizzy and queried, “Master is everything over?” But the master replied, “Not yet.” He now placed the teacup in an oven which was burning hot, the teacup cried out unable to bear the heat. After a while, the master removed the teacup and placed it in freezing conditions. Later he started painting the teacup with a brush. The teacup became nauseous at the pungent fumes of the paint and begged the master to stop painting. But the master replied, “You are not ready yet.” Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot, and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. But the master said, “Just a little more then you will be a finished product. Be patient.” Finally, everything was finished. The master then proudly displayed the teacup to everyone. When the teacup saw itself, it exclaimed, “Look how beautiful I am. Master, you have created me exquisitely!” The master said, “You were patient when I put you through various tests. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you.”
Yes, my dear children of God, as we read in Jeremiah 18:1-6, when we completely surrender ourselves to His will, He will fashion us according to His plans into a beautiful vessel. We are ordinary clay, let us yield ourselves to the master’s plan He will mold us into a useful vessel. Today believe you will be the perfect beauty of His creation! Let us surrender to Him in prayer.
Prayer: Lord, we thank you for this day. You have performed many good things in my life. Even now as clay in the potter’s hand I yield myself into thy hands. Exquisitely fashion me and mould me into a useful vessel. Help me to be patient to wait on you every day. Guide me in the path of progress so that I will be successful in my life.
In Jesus name.
Amen
