The image above is an ingenious vessel called a "magic camel." I bought it on the island of Djerba off the coast of Tunisia about fifteen years ago. The potter made the clay pot so that you can pour water into both the top and the bottom of the jar without any leaking out as you turn it upside down. The water remains inside the vessel until it is poured out of the camel's mouth. Kids love seeing this "trick." So do most adults.
I am not much of an artist. There have been a few art projects in my life that have turned out better than hoped for, but for the most part, my efforts at art have reflected my limited skill-set and experience.
As a result, those who are capable of making something aesthetically pleasing out of their imagination have always impressed me. It is fascinating to watch a painter dab colors onto a canvas that eventually turn into a beautiful landscape. Likewise, the ability of the sculptor to mold clay or chisel stone so that in time a recognizable form appears also amazes me.
An important aspect of the work of an artist is that the artist obviously is in charge of his or her medium, not the other way around. When watching artists work it is not uncommon to see the artist paint over previous work or remold wet clay before it has a chance to set.
The artist might do so because the work up to that point is below a personal standard. Another reason might be that the vision the artist has in mind has changed. Whatever the reason, the key is that the artist is clearly in control, not the substance he or she is utilizing.
Jeremiah 18:4 draws on this idea.
But the jar that he was making from the clay
became flawed in the potter’s hand,
so he made it into another jar,
as it seemed right for him to do.
This verse depicts a potter working with clay when he becomes unsatisfied with what he is producing so starts over and reworks the clay into something different. Clearly the analogy is that God is the potter and humans are the clay.
Seen one way, this demonstrates to us that God has something so much greater for us than our current situation allows. He knows what He can do with our lives and wants to mold us to be make us ready for His plans. He reshapes our lives as it seems right for him to do because He knows precisely what He wants to accomplish in and through our lives.
We might be the reason for the "start-over." Our mess-ups may have caused us to miss out on God's plans for us. Our hesitancy or miscalculation might have made our lives turnout differently than we had anticipated. We all need continued growth. God is constantly at work around us and He is ready to accomplish something new in our lives if we release control over to Him.
Won't you let Him reshape you as He sees fit so that when it comes time for you be used by Him, you will be the right instrument He intended all along?
And realize this, when he reshapes the vessel, it is really a fresh start. Until the vessel is hardened, it can be reshaped multiple times and the finished product will be exactly what it needs to be. Even the most marred pot can become splendid.
May you allow Him to remold you as it seems right for him to do.
God has something splendid in mind for you.
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