For years my family has a tradition of visiting a local pottery store and painting ornaments as part of the holiday season. The experience has made many beautiful memories and increased my fascination for the pottery-making process. I can’t help but wander through the studio area and peeking at the kiln. The entire process is beautiful.
Similarly, I am grateful for God’s patience and for providing visual aids for us to understand better who He is and how He works. Many churches or ministries use potter language in their title. Many sermons use the potter and clay imagery to teach the Gospel. This is rooted in the metaphor God revealed to the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 18:1-11. You can read it later to understand the context. The purpose of the analogy is to show God’s justice and mercy for His people, nations, and me.
He has the power to create and destroy. In His wrath and justice, He demonstrates destruction and correction. In His mercy, He relents to those who repent, even when evil cities like Ninevah repent. His mercy is available to all who will turn to Him.
This goes for you too. No matter the extent of your failure and no matter the grip of sin on your life. If you turn to Him and repent, He promises to relent from the wrath you deserve and deliver mercy with total forgiveness. This is all made possible through the shed blood of Jesus, who has atoned for our sins and satisfied His justifiable wrath. Will you rest in this mercy today and turn to Him to experience rest in His arms and genuine freedom? You don’t have to get yourself together first. You just have to kneel before him!