"The Potter's Hands" - a reflection on Jeremiah 18:1-11

God called his prophet Jeremiah to go down to a potter’s house and observe what this potter was doing. This would be in part for Jeremiah’s own benefit, but more significantly this would give Jeremiah a greater understanding about God before he spoke. It would be in what Jeremiah saw and perceived at the potter’s house that would give Jeremiah a greater grasp on how God thought and acted. This, Jeremiah could then share with his community … ready or not! It would be important for the prophet to observe well before he spoke, lest he spoke without really understanding.

At the potter’s house, the potter was busily working at his wheel. If we sense here that the potter is representative of God, we could deduce that God is always busy about his business. And what is God’s ultimate business or mission?? Reconciling with his creations! And then, reshaping his children toward their utmost potential!! The picture is of the traditional potting-wheel, with the two stone circles rotating on a single vertical axis, the bottom circular plate being spun by the feet, while the hands work the clay up top. But then the image gets very personal and touchy-feely (v.4)! The vessel that the potter was working on, was being intricately and carefully reworked, due to it having been spoiled (with cracks and various imperfections).

Despite all previous efforts of the potter to make something beautiful out of this hunk of clay, along the long journey of manufacture, there had been a spoiling which didn’t fit with the original intent. There was nothing wrong with the Potter’s skill, the fault lay with the raw material … the clay. Isn’t this just like life, bad decisions and corrupt behaviour marring God’s creativity. Yet God has not removed his hands from the ‘potting wheel’ – God is not willing to waste any of his raw materials! The “clay” would not be abandoned just because there was a couple of imperfections. Also there are those things that are done to us, sometimes terrible, hurtful and destructive abuses – God is not willing to allow such crimes to have the final word in our lives! This restoration will be patient work, carried out with loving care and purpose.

The original context, six centuries before the time of Jesus, concerned the rebellion and disobedience of God’s people Israel. Unless Israel showed a willingness to change their ways, then there would be an inevitability about their destruction by foreign powers. God could not bless those who took a direction which basically snubbed God. The nation of Israel’s refusal to listen to prophets like Jeremiah led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. But it didn’t have to be this way!! Some of us carry on continually defeated by certain things … habits, behaviour, guilt, shame, feelings, attitudes … when it doesn’t have to be this way. The Potter’s hands are on the ‘wheel’! Even complete failure, like exhibited by Peter in his denials of knowing Jesus, can be totally turned around, as we see in Peter’s post-resurrection activities.

During the week I was called in to help with the counselling of a guy who couldn’t get past a particular bitterness that he felt towards another person. When it came to the crunch, in reality this bitterness was held more toward himself than that other person. Once this was revealed to him, I was able to create a visualisation of this person going down to the Potter’s house where the Potter’s fingers could do a little reworking in some broken places, bringing about some emotional healing and a renewed sense of well-being. The message I received later that day, which was reaffirmed the next day, was that all animosity towards the other person mentioned had completely dropped away.

Just as Jeremiah did, when invited, we should come to the Potter’s house, where we will experience the transforming work of God. Only God really knows how we might look (or what we might become) as he is allowed to do his reworking. Sometimes it is not clear to us – we are a little dubious about how good the results could be! But actually, possibilities never before thought of might just emerge. We just need to put ourselves in the position where the clay of our lives, all the good, and all the bad, up til now, can be remoulded, “as seems good to [the Potter]” (v.4). This seems to depict a rebuilding according to the best thoughts and intentions of the great Potter.

This Potter certainly has the capacity to make critical changes. Are we willing to be so touched and worked by the fingers of this ultimate Potter?? And this of course would not be a one-off occurrence, but rather an ongoing and continual work of reshaping. And this is important, not only for ourselves, but also in terms of the influence for good that we are meant to have in our neighbourhood and in society. We are meant to part of the solution of our community’s woes. It was at the times when Israel listened to her true prophets and obeyed the will of God, that this nation got back on track. In the same way, as we are willing to be moulded by Living God, that we can take leadership in refocussing the world toward the light.

What do you think are the crucial steps in being freshly moulded by the ‘Great Potter’???