Here are some more lessons from the Potter’s House.

1. The Potter Does Not Throw the Clay Away – The verse clearly shows that the potter Jeremiah saw was to teach an example of how the Lord works. The potter took the marred clay and kept on working with it. Sometimes, people can damage their own usefulness to God’s intentions for them through sin. God will keep on working with that person for a long time because He is patient. But if the clay becomes too hard, He will cast it away from usefulness and possibly take that one home to Heaven.

2. The Heavenly Potter Makes Vessels for His Glory – Although an earthly potter may not be seeking to put his autograph on his pottery work – God certainly is looking for vessels that will glorify Him.

We are partly responsible to help clean up our own lives with His help so that we can be used to fulfill His purpose for our lives. II Timothy 2:21 says: “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

When Jeremiah went to the potter’s house, he saw that God has the right to do with His “clay” (Israel) what He wanted. Unfortunately, Israel had become too sinful to be useful to God and could not show the world how God blesses a nation that serves Him.

May God help each of us to maintain a testimony worthy of His honor!

Here are some more things seen in this passage about the clay and the potter.

1. The Vessels Are Made from the Same Clay – The Potter starts out with the same basic material each time. It has very little worth in its raw form. This speaks of each believer – we are nothing and can do nothing apart from Him. He alone gives us value and it is best seen when we let Him do His work in us.

2. The Vessels Must Be Made to Yield to His Hands – Sometimes, the clay may resist the potter’s intentions. It may be a little hard and dry. When this is the case, He must mar it first – break the spirit until it yields. Spiritually, it will hurt (possibly physically, too – if there is continual resistance to His work in your life) but He always works with great love and has our ultimate good in mind. It is our job to let Him have His way with us – because it is “good, acceptable, and perfect.”

3. The Vessels Stay on the Wheel as Long as the Potter Wants – He is not in a hurry. Our God will take the necessary time to finish His product to conform us to be like Christ. The more His will is resisted, the longer it will spend on the wheel and the more pressure the Potter must use.

Are you on the Potter’s wheel now? The more you trust and yield to His desires, the less pressure He must use. Ask Him for grace, thank Him for His work on you, and let Him have His way with you.

Lesson’s from the Potter’s House (Pt. 1)