The Maker

September 25

Isaiah 44-46

Psalm 106:28-39

Proverbs 23:22-23

I Thessalonians 2

The Maker

“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground.  Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’  Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands?’ Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you brought to birth?’  This is what the Lord says—the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:  Concerning things to come, do you question Me about my children, or give Me orders about the work of My hands?  It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it.  My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshalled their starry hosts.’”  Isaiah 45:9-12 NIV 

I have several friends who are potters.  They love to take a piece of clay and form it into a beautiful piece of art.  It amazes me that they can take a lump of clay that is ugly and formless and make it into something that is useful and exquisite in design and form.  The same lump of clay can be made into a delicate vase, a useful coffee mug, an intricate tea pot or a utilitarian bowl.  The potter decides what each lump of clay will become.  If he needs something to hold flowers, he will design a beautiful vase to meet his need.  If he needs to serve coffee, he will make a mug to fulfill this function.  If he needs something to serve a fruit salad, he will design a bowl that is the perfect size and shape to serve fruit.  The potter knows what he needs and designs something to fill the need.  In the same way, God is a potter.  He designs each of us to serve the function He has planned for our lives.  He shapes and forms us with the gifts, talents, qualities and abilities we need to fulfill our role.  We are a unique work of art designed to fulfill a purpose and calling.  My friends that are potters will tell you that no two pieces of pottery are alike. Even if they try to replicate their design, there is always some difference.  There may be a difference in color or size or shape, but there is something unique about each piece.  Of the 8 billion people on earth, no two are exactly the same.  Even identical twins have differences in personality and preferences.  Our God is creative and no two of His masterpieces are exactly alike. 

The lump of clay doesn’t have a say in what it will become.  The artist decides that one piece of clay will become a vase and another will become a mug.  Likewise, God decides how each of His masterpieces will function.  He created us and He gets to decide what we will become.  When we function within our giftedness and according to His plan for our lives, we experience the fulfillment and joy of knowing we are walking in accordance with His will.  God has a master plan for humanity and we fit into that plan.  Each role is important and necessary.  If we are not fulfilling our God-given role then something is left undone.  A mug is just as necessary as a vase.  They each serve different, yet essential functions.  It is important that we each understand our role and we diligently fulfill our purpose.