DAY - 29 THE POTTER

DAY – 29

THE POTTER " Yet, O Lord, You Are Our Father. We Are the Clay, You Are the Potter, We Are All the Work of Your Hand. " (Is 64:8)

Our Almighty God is a potter, and we are all the works of His hands, the Masterpiece. The man was created from the dust of the ground by the same God who created the vast heavens and the mighty earth. He physically formed Adam from earthen clay and breathed life into him. Paul refers to our bodies as "jars of clay" in 2 Corinthians 4:7. We are clays in the hands of God, who has the authority to shape us inwardly into a vessel fit for His use, molded as an image of Jesus Christ. In (2Tim 2:21), God desires to shape us into a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful to the Master, ready for every good work.

God desires to first transform our inward lives so that we can receive outward blessings. He molds our inner man in preparation for His work. Ultimately, any pot must be useful to the potter who created it. Similarly, God's carving brings out the best in us, making us useful for His works/His kingdom.

According to the Bible, anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation, and the old has passed away. As a result, a new being is created in Christ to carry on His legacy on earth. The new person should be more like Christ than himself/herself. Any man's or woman's "self" is dead and buried with Christ, and the new being is resurrected with Him. The "self" goals, "self" desires, "self" satisfactions, "self" thoughts, "self" actions and "self" decisions are replaced by "Christ's" goals, "Christ's" desires, "Christ's" thoughts about us, "Christ's" plans for us, more of His involvement in our lives, and more of our reliance on Him.

God sculpts our innermost being by imprinting Christ's characteristics on us through the fruits of the spirit. But why are the fruits of the Spirit necessary for a Christian's spiritual life? The fruit of the Spirit is an encounter with God that leads to an ongoing experience that opens us up to the fullness of who God is for us and becomes the lifestyle that He enjoys the most. God is offering us His unchanging self in order for us to become unchanging in our way of life.

Let us look at people's lives (along with the fruits of the Spirit) where God intervened and molded them into masterpieces when they surrendered.

1. Love (Agape)

I have loved you in the same way that the Father has loved me. (See John 15:9) Jesus loved each of us as much as the Heavenly Father does. He was dispatched as a manifestation of Father's Love. He loved everyone as if they were His own. We remain in Him when we love others. When we surrender, He replaces our stone heart with a brand-new heart filled with His love (Ez 36:26). As a result, we will be able to love others as we love ourselves, just as Jesus did.

2. Joy (chara)

It is a happy feeling based on our circumstances. Unfortunately, the world's contentment cannot last because it is based on transient, physical circumstances. However, the Lord's joy is established in our spiritual, eternal circumstances. "Rejoice, in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice," Paul wrote to the Philippians. (Gal 4:4) Paul wrote this while incarcerated as a prisoner with his hands tied. Regardless of the situations, we face when we surrender to Him to mold, God fills our lives with His joy.

3. Peace ( eirine)

In the midst of the chaos, David discovered God's peace. "In peace, I lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety," he says. (Psalm 4:8) When David's life was threatened by Saul, he sang this song as he ran to save himself from Saul's army, which was looking for David to kill him. When David turned to God, however, the God who was with him provided him with peace and safety. When we "agree with God and be at peace, goodwill come to you," (Job 22:21)

4. Patience (makrothumia)

Job possessed a level of patience that no words could describe. Job waited for his sores to heal with patience. Job's entire world imploded. He had lost his family, his property, and his health. One member of the family survived. His wife nagged him to curse God and die. Job had no idea. He had no idea Satan had challenged his integrity in heaven's court. Job's response to his sufferings is a testament to his patient faith in the Lord: "Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him." God rewarded Job for his patience by rewarding him twice. When we surrender to Him, the Holy Spirit assists us in experiencing God's peace.

5. Kindness (chréstotés)

God even desires that we be kind to our enemies, which is one of the most difficult things to do. But, in the end, if we strive to live a good life, spreading joy and thoughtfulness wherever we go, we will be rewarded. After all, Joseph's brothers planned to kill him, sold him to a foreign land, Joseph lost his youth with his father and remained a slave until God lifted Joseph, He remained kind and did not harm them even though he had all the authority to do so.

6. Goodness (agathosune)

When we strive to be "good" solely for our own benefit, we are not truly good. Jesus Christ's life is the perfect example of goodness, as He died on the cross for humanity's sins in order to give us the gift of eternal life. His ministry and sacrifice demonstrate God's goodness to mankind. After all, the word "gospel" literally means "good news." He was made sin when He had no knowledge of sin solely because of us. Doing good without expecting anything in return is proof that we are being shaped by God.

7. Trustworthiness (pistis)

He was faithful to the one who chose him, just as Moses was in all of God's house. (Hebrews 3:2) Moses was God's obedient servant. He did the job that God assigned to him, and he did it well. This is what distinguished him: he was devoted. Are we on the path to discovering God's plan for our lives? Are we following His instructions? Moses was declared to be God's faithful servant by God Himself. When we surrender, God will make us faithful as well.

8. Gentleness(prautes)

The Pharisees wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery, but Jesus intervened, saying, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." Jesus was responding to the woman with gentleness, demonstrating to everyone present that they, too, were sinners. He wasn't harsh or mean, but he led with gentleness and compassion, setting an example for the Pharisees and for us. Are our words and actions gentle or hurtful to others? Yield to God, and He will imbue us with His nature.

9. Self-control (egkrateia)

After the exodus, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. While he and his colleagues were constructing the wall, armies from the surrounding area arrived and began attacking them! Nehemiah exercised restraint and did not retaliate. Instead, he stationed some of his men to serve as guards while the rest worked. Nehemiah was confident that God would protect them. He acted calmly and with restraint. If we allow our desires to guide our decisions, our lives (and bodies) can quickly spiral out of control. Self-control is a discipline that God develops in us as we choose to die to our flesh and live in Him on a daily basis. Defend yourself against idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and carousing. Submit to God, and He will assist us in overcoming.

When we surrender completely, God will perfectly mold every inch of our thoughts, characters, and self-desires and can transform our lives into Christ-like life. He carves us until we are His. God bless you and change you. Amen!!