Clay (July 22)

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
                                   Isaiah 64:8 NIV

We, in a sense, are just clay in a fractured and fallen world.  We have our challenges, our conflicts, our doubts, and our misunderstandings.  We are all the work of God's hand, we are the dust He works with.  As baptized followers of Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

We do need to remember Ecclesiastes 12:7-14; where it is stated that the dust will return to the ground it came from and the spirit returns to God who gave it...Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole (duty) of man.

In this life, as a Christian, we will have challenges, trials, problems, mistakes and failures.  God will guide us and protect us; however we still make blunders.  Keep in focus that our duty is to fear God and keep commands.  Also remember when we fail, there is restoration by repentance and a request for forgiveness by His mercy and through Jesus' work on the cross.

Jesus told us the most important commands are to Love the Lord your God and to love your neighbor.  God also uses love in working on us as clay; although often times as we are being fired up in the kiln, we have challenges considering love has any role.

It is difficult to grasp but we are told in Hebrews 12 that the Lord disciplines those he loves and punishes everyone he accepts as a son.

God, in love through challenges, allows us to mature and to accept the responsibilities in life.  Satan on the other hand wants us to believe that any challenge, problem, difficulty, or trial we have is proof that God does not love, care, look out for or protect us.

Again, remember that we do live in a fractured and fallen world.

How have you felt like clay this week?

When you have challenges, do you look at the challenges as times of growth in faith, maturity and wisdom?

Pray for the Spirit to guide you through your trials and challenges.

In Christ,

David P