Something Beautiful

One of my most favorite messages I have ever had the priviledge to hear came to me about 9 years ago. I was at a "limbo" time in my life....newly separated, not yet blessed with Isaac, so I was really struggling to find where my "place" was. Keep in mind I was only 22 years old. I was at a women's ministry event at the church where my Dad was employed at the time, and the pastor's wife gave a message that touched my heart. It was about the Potter and the clay. Now I have always loved that illustration...how God is the Potter of our life and our being, and we are just the clay, pliable and ready to be molded. But she went through every detail of the process that the clay goes through to become pottery...."something beautiful". First, the potter starts working with the clay....working, pulling, making it elastic and pliable. This to me is the first step in our walk...when God is working on us to make us ready to receive the life He wants us to live. Then, he takes out the impurities...the rocks, sand, or anything that would make it imperfect. Picks them out one by one so all that's left is smooth clay that is ready to be molded. The next step, you would think, is the wheel. Nope. He then slams the clay on the ground to make it even more pliable. It wasn't ready yet for the molding. This represents to me, some temporary setbacks at the beginning of our walk. Things that we didn't see coming. Then, comes the wheel, which is the true molding and beautifying process. It's interesting to me that during this process, the potter continuously dips his hands in water to keep the clay hydrated. Isn't this how God molds us? Giving us our periodic drinks of His Living Water? How awesome it is that he used this illustration to show our relationship with Him! Again, just when you think it's ready to be dried out, painted and beautified....then comes the fire. What does the fire represent? Trials, brokenness, our test to see if we are truly ready to become "beautiful". But, think about what that pottery gains from the fire....luster, beauty, a more solid foundation. Hmmm.... I know in my life, I sure have been through ALOT of fires....but I always refer back to this message to remind myself, that it is God's purpose to make me into "something beautiful".... "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance." James 1:2-3