“Well then, you might say, ‘Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what He makes them do?’ No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?” (Romans 9:19-21 NLT)
One could assume a rather dismal frame of reference after reading the verses above, if it were not for one very vital aspect of the equation. Yes, of course, we can bemoan our poor state of existence: “Why didn’t God make me smarter, prettier, taller, shorter, an athlete, a scholar!” Or “Why didn’t the Lord let me live in ___________ instead of where I live?” “Why is my house the smallest in the neighborhood?” Why did I have to have that person for my parent, child, teacher, boss…” The questions continue ad infinitum.
Our questions will never stop until we come to grips with the fact the Lord made us exactly as He did for a very specific reason. He knew before the brilliance of the sun was ever allowed to shine that you would be who you are, where you are, why you are! You are not an accident! You and I were made very much on purpose to be God’s instruments where He has “planted” us.
Ron Hutchcraft wrote (See How God Makes You a Masterpiece – 02-09-23): “We’re all that shapeless lump of clay until we put ourselves in the hands of the Master Potter. Only the One who gave you your life can shape your life into what it was created to be.” There’s an extensive process that we go through to become everything the Lord desires us to be, but it’s completely voluntary.
The Lord doesn’t force us to become what He created us to be, but He stands ready to shape, mold, and equip us to be exactly what He has in mind for us to become, when we’re ready to yield our lives to Him. My experience has been that people do a lot of whining and complaining when they’re trying to rule their own lives, but when someone turns the reigns of control over to Jesus, their complaining turns to praise and they’re given the life they never dreamed they could ever have.
A masterpiece is born out of suffering and pain, struggle and hardship, not out of an easy life. As a rule, we learn very little, if anything, when times are good and we’re coasting through life. Growth comes when a loved one leaves or dies; the lights are shut off; the doctor says, “It’s cancer!” or the boss says: “You’re fired!”
When life is out of our control and our only hope is to look up, that’s when the learning curve begins, and our life is molded into the masterpiece the Lord envisioned before time began. What we once thought were curses become the very blessings upon which our faith journey is built. Yes, there are tears! Yes, there are doubts and moments of despair, but when we see the face of Jesus, even through our tears, we’re still able to smile and say with genuine confidence: “Thank You, Lord!”
There’s nothing this world can offer to compare with intimacy with Jesus. It isn’t until we have what the world can’t take away that we begin to experience what only Jesus can give us. Closeness with the Lord has nothing to do with material things or even spiritual “gifts.” It has only to do with relaxing in the capable hands of the Potter and allowing Him to do what only He can do with, in, through, and for us.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 