The Potter and Clay

One of my favorite metaphors in the scriptures is that of the clay and the potter.  It was used by several prophets in the Bible.  Isaiah wrote, "But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand" (Isaiah 64:8).  The message is that we should have this kind of attitude towards our Father in Heaven--we should not presume to play the role of potter when we are really the clay in the hands of the potter.  I think the implication also is that we must be malleable and soft if we are to let the potter shape us; if we are hardened against the potter we will not be molded into what we ought to become.  Jeremiah used the same metaphor to describe what was happening to the wicked Jews in his day.  He wrote that he went "down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels."  But the vessel of clay that the potter made "was marred" and so "he made it again another vessel."  The Lord then revealed this to Jeremiah, "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?...  Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel" (Jeremiah 18:3-6). The Jews were about to be largely destroyed, or "marred," by the Babylonians because of their unfaithfulness.  Just because they had been "made" by the Potter didn't mean that He would necessarily protect them in their wickedness.  Paul in his letter to the Romans also spoke of the clay and potter: "Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Romans 9:20-21)  If we understand our proper relationship with God, we will not seek to counsel the Lord but will take counsel of Him since He formed us.  The clay never tells the potter how to do his work.  Finally, John spoke of "him who overcometh" in this way: "They shall be in his hands as the vessels of clay in the hands of a potter; and he shall govern them by faith, with equity and justice" (JST Revelation 2:27).  If we are righteous the Lord will guide our lives just as the potter guides the clay that he is molding into a finished vessel.  Ultimately this analogy invites us to submit to the will of the Father and understand our true relationship with Him.  This means that we must trust the way that He is shaping our life and seek to follow His counsel.  The novel by Chaim Potok called "I Am the Clay" puts it this way: "Have thine own way Lord, have thine own way.  Thou are the potter; I am the clay."