The Potter's Hands

This past weekend my wife and I joined a group of friends to attend the St Croix Valley Pottery Tour. This has become a highly anticipated annual event for us and commenced with a wonderful breakfast together and talk of the artists we wanted to meet and the many various works we wanted to peruse. Although the weather was dreary, there was no shortage of seekers looking for new pots, plates, cups, vases and other vessels. Some pieces rough in form and some very fine and made of porcelain, all waited on shelves and tables to serve those who chose to claim them for their individual beauty.

The art of pottery has always intrigued me. A potter takes a lump of clay, matter of the earth, kneads it until it is ready and then plops it on a spinning wheel; expectantly waiting his caressing hands. As he pulls here and pushes there, pinches and forms; that former lump of clay starts to take shape and form. Sometimes during the process the form starts to collapse on itself and no matter how hard the potter tries to keep the shape going, he must start over. This can happen almost at once or when the work is almost finished. Without anger or malice, he lovingly kneads and readies the clay once again. With greater care and understanding of this particular lump of clay he begins again to pull, push and pinch it into form. I am like this lump of clay that so stubbornly refuses to be molded and formed by the potter’s hands. If only I could give in to his gentle touch and persistent urging to become the beautiful form that he has in mind for me. Are you like a lump of clay as well?

I wait expectantly to be molded and transformed by the potter’s hands today so that I can become a beautiful vessel willing to serve. To help serve those that are hungry, quench those that thirst or perhaps just to provide a comforting presence. We are all works of art in the potter’s hands. Some rough and functional, some fine with an elegant beauty, some just a crazy artsy mix. We all have our function and purpose.

As I am crafted and shaped by His hands today, I am comforted by the scripture verse; “He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it”. He’s not finished with me yet!