Isaiah 64:8: Clay for the Potter's Hand, Written by my Husband and Me

Isaiah 64:8: Clay for the Potter's Hand, Written by my Husband (Mel) and Me

(Isaiah 64:8) But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

We cannot save ourselves through the strivings of the flesh, nor be transformed by our own merit. We must get out of the way and yield our lives to Christ, and His transforming Holy Spirit. We are saved by faith in the atonement that Christ provided upon the cross following true repentance. Then the Holy Spirit molds the clay into vessels of honor. We are sanctified by the blood of Christ unto salvation, and transformed (sanctified, set apart) by the Holy Spirit. To walk in the Spirit is to walk away from sin. You must be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

If you belong to Christ, you are an ambassador for the Kingdom of Heaven, and your life should be a living testimony to those around you. We are not all called to be pastors or evangelists, but there are many members to the body of Christ, and we are called to be faithful to the ministry that God has placed us in. God is the potter, and we are the clay, if we will allow His Spirit to have His perfect work in us, then we will be vessels of honor that He may work through. A potter is an artist that molds, and shapes vessels into many forms, for many different uses.  If we live a sinful lifestyle, then we will be vessels of dishonor to be destroyed by the potter. For the wages of sin is death, but there is forgiveness through Christ if we repent and turn from sin (see Romans 6:23). 

If you do not know where you fit into the body of Christ, I suggest that you pray, as well as fast, for an answer. When a person goes on a fast, they are showing God that they desire heavenly food more than earthly food. When you seek after God, as well as put his Kingdom first, He will reveal his plan for your life. God’s timing is perfect, but we sometimes get impatient waiting upon the Lord to open doors to ministry. A Christian preparing for a ministry does not need a theological degree, or any training from man- made institutions. However, we are to study God’s Word to show ourselves approved, a workman who is not ashamed (see 2 Timothy 2:15). We need to get alone with God and allow his Holy Spirit to teach us the ways of the Kingdom of Heaven. I refer to this time of Spirit led training, as the wilderness experience.

(Romans 9:20-21) But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

 There are many examples in God’s Word of holy men who left their hometowns and spent time in wilderness locations, or foreign lands, being taught by God’s Spirit. After being water baptized, the Spirit led Christ into the wilderness to be tested and tried by the devil for forty days and nights. Christ fasted during this time of testing and fought off the devil by quoting scripture. After this time of preparation, Christ began his ministry. We are not above our master, if Christ was tested and tried by Satan, we will also most surely be tested. 

The wilderness experience is a time, when the potter molds and shapes his vessel into the object that he desires. Joseph is another example of a man who was hand crafted by God for a great purpose. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was sold into slavery by his brothers. After the incident with Potiphar’s wife, he was thrown into prison for thirteen years until the day he was brought before Pharaoh. This time of preparation for leadership was necessary for Joseph to be the humble man useable for God’s purpose. When Joseph’s wilderness experience was concluded, Pharaoh made him governor over all of Egypt, and he prepared for the time of famine.

After his road to Damascus encounter with the risen Christ, the Apostle Paul also had his time of preparation for ministry. Paul did not confer with any man, nor did he go immediately to Jerusalem to see the apostles. Instead, Paul went into Arabia for three years, to be taught by God’s Spirit before going back to Jerusalem.  When he returned to Jerusalem, he stayed with Peter for fifteen days and also met with James the brother of Christ. Then Paul went into Syria and Cilicia for another fourteen years, before he presented himself to the churches in Judea.  It was by revelation from God’s Spirit that Paul knew when it was time to present himself to the Judean church. A true vessel that God can work through, is taught and led by God, not man, nor man- made institutions. Man- made theology stifles the Spirit, as well as shuts people out of the Kingdom of Heaven.

If you truly want to be used by God to bring glory to His name, you must be willing to pray the sincere prayer asking God to mold you into His image.  In many cases, this will mean giving up the things of this world that He hates so that you will only reflect His Light.  

Our goals should never be to be molded into the world's image.  If you are striving to look like the world instead of like Jesus, you need to reevaluate your priorities.  Whether you want to admit it or not, certain hairstyles, piercings, tattoos, clothing, and even choices of entertainment often reflect what the world teaches, but go against the holiness views in the Bible. Do not let Hollywood decide how you should walk, talk, act, dress, or live, but let only Jesus be your potter!  When in doubt of what is wrong or right, do not ask the world's point of view, look to the words of the Bible and see what God and Jesus had to say on the subjects in question.

Our goals should also never be to point people to an actor, singer, writer, or even pastor, but to God the Father, Jesus the son, and The Holy Spirit. 

Let's look at some really good news as we read more from Isaiah 64.  That first sentence is verse 4.  What a beautiful promise!  When we allow God to mold and change us, we will someday enjoy a Heaven so amazing we cannot even begin to perceive how wonderful it will be!  The next verse after that says God meets and rejoices with those that work righteousness.  We are sinful and filthy, but when we allow God to clean us up, we can be used to be molded into His image, so we can enjoy the amazing Heaven He is preparing for those who faithfully serve Him!     

(64:4-8) For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways... But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away... But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.