Broken Vessels

The clay rotates as the Potter's hands shape and mold. His face is disheveled in pure concentration. The potter is focused on the task at hand. His life remains uninterrupted by the loving purpose He intends for His creation. Nothing else seems important except for the eternal result that comes from a job well done. Viewers critique the clump and fail to see that there will be a day it will be complete. They can only see what is before them. They are blind to the vision in His mind. Only He can see the original masterpiece. He places it in the fire anxious to hold it once more. The refining is soon over and the jar is removed. The Potter is saddened for now His work is done. His Name is etched through and through, but now He must let it go. There has to be a way He can still exist through this pot? A beautiful jewel He created but something is amiss. The inside is empty! He can place something new! A candle will do! He is light to the dark world. He knows this idea is brilliant. He takes His light but nothing shines through. He is perfect so His creation will be too. He desires for His pot to need Him. For the clay to cry His name. Perfection fails to see in dependence there is power. So a crack here and a crack there He invokes. The process is painful but the reward everlasting. To see His beauty cracked and flawed brings great sorrow. His efforts poured into this single pot so to see it damaged churns His heart. Once more He places His light, but this time the pot shines bright! The Potter is thrilled with His plan! For now He has found a way to show the world who He is. There is something to be said of the Creator's perfection but His glory abounds through imperfection!

Living the life as a preacher's daughter, expectations surrounded me. Not only from my elders and peers, but also from my parents. As a kid, that is normal. People will always have great expectations of you. The real issue comes when you become obsessed with those expectations and seek to always please. For when you fail, you are left feeling defeated. You know you will never measure up but for some reason you seek to please even harder then next time. Pretty soon your well is dry and you are one broken vessel. You desire to be used but despair keeps you from bringing glory to your Maker.

I accepted this form of Christianity. The kind that you are only right with God when you are doing what you and others think you should be doing for the Kingdom. This is based off of a 'work for grace' religion. For so long, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't defeat sin in my life as I tried to work for God's approval. I feared that all the wrong moves I was making resulted in complete seclusion from my Creator. On the outside my pot seemed to have it's original luster but the inside was shattering. My candle was dimming and darkness was becoming my closest friend. Praise God that finally the inside began to show itself on the outside! My cracks were spreading! The ugliness from living life on my own began to seep into everything I did! I just knew this would be the end and hopelessness set in. I fell to my face and the only words that came out of my mouth were, "Jesus, HELP ME!"

I heard Him say, "FINALLY!" He was wondering just how many cracks it would take for me to cry out to the one who created me. This life wasn't meant for me to live through my own ability! No wonder I was doomed in sin! I was carrying a load I was never intended to carry. The pot cannot say to it's Potter, "Why did you make me like this?" I did not know the best way for my life because I didn't create myself. My pot was no longer beautiful and my light was almost completely snuffed out. Cracks had made a lasting impression! He leaned in and re-ignited my fire! Something marvelous happened through those cracks that I thought were my ultimate undoing. I shined! The pain I had faced from my marks brought a light into my life I never thought possible. His light!

God does not desire perfection because He is perfection. He already has perfection. God looks for our weaknesses because through them He can show His greatness and glory! When we are sapped of all that is left of our human selves that is when we are ready for Him to step in and say RISE to our ashes scattered in the dust. I no longer seek to please those around me and I joyfully accept His grace every single morning! Without my Potter my pot would be dull and lifeless. The truth is we are all one shatter away. Trust your Potter and do not fear the cracks of life! Embrace them and watch the light shine!

"We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." ~2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT)