The Clay

"Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold he wrought a work on the wheels.  And the vessel 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 18:4-6

I was talking to my friend the other day, explaining (and maybe complaining) how I was getting pretty tired of dealing with my chronic illnesses.  At one point in the conversation I said, "Maybe I'm sick all the time because God knows my heart, and maybe I wouldn't depend on Him as much as I should if I didn't have health problems?"

Interesting thought.  Honest too.  I think sometimes when things are going well and we feel good, we tend to rely on the Lord less than when things are not going so well and we are ill.

I had to ask myself, "In what condition can the LORD best use me in, for His glory alone?"

According to Jeremiah, what truly mattered was not that the pot was marred, but that it remained in the hand of the Potter.  I realized that no matter what condition I am in, there is no other place I'd rather be, than in the Potter's Hand.

    But that's just me!

"God can remove our illnesses and change our circumstances in an instant-the moment they are no longer needed for His Divine purposes.  Until then, or until He calls us home, we can rest in the fact that our illnesses or circumstances are part of His good purpose for our Lives.  God truly uses all things.  There is a purpose in my pain and weaknesses, and it's not a question of my faith:  It's a matter of God's Will."

    Unknown