“The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as He told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message:…” Jeremiah 18:1-6 NLT
I’ve been meditating on this passage this morning and wanted to pass along a few things that really ministered to my heart.
1.) Spiritual revelation often comes through some very simple, natural observations.
God said to Jeremiah, (and I’m paraphrasing) “I need to say something to you. But in order for you to really get what I want to say, I need to move you and position you somewhere where you’ll truly understand it. I don’t want you to just hear what I have to say, I want you to get a visual of it. So go down to the shop where they make pottery, and once you get there, I’ll cause you to hear My words.”
When was the last time you felt God prompt you to go somewhere or do something like that? Something that felt completely out of the ordinary or random, even? Did you trust it enough to act on it?
I’ve noticed that a lot of times we don’t capture and act on these prompting because we don’t think they are…”spiritual enough”. We start to doubt that it was even God speaking in the first place. But notice, this wasn’t a super “spiritual” place God led Jeremiah to. It was a pottery shop!
Never underestimate that God can (and will often) speak to us through some very simple, natural means. Some of the most profound revelation I’ve ever received has taken place in some of the most unlikely places and through some of the most unlikely means.
Everything we see in the natural was created to reflect and point us to a greater reality. And I’ve noticed that God, in His grace and mercy, understanding that sometimes we need pictures to paint a picture that will unlock our understanding, will use things in our everyday lives to speak to us. Capture those moments, and step into them.
2.) Obedience to the last thing opens the door to the next thing.
God had spoken to Jeremiah and given him direction. Now, Jeremiah had to act on what he had been told if he wanted to keep moving forward and get to the next thing God had for him. If we ever get to the point where we feel like we’re not hearing God’s voice, we must ask ourselves, “Have I been obedient or acted upon the last thing He told me?” If we can absolutely say, “Yes I have”, then great. Keep waiting on Him and keep listening. But if not, we need to go back to the last thing He said and act on it. Because it’s not until then that we’ll see the next one appear.
3.) Some revelation is reserved for a specific location.
Positioning is important and I’ve noticed that some words, some direction, and sometimes even provision God has already ordained for us has been placed in a certain place for us to receive it. If we don’t go where we’re supposed to go, we simply won’t get it.
In today’s day and age where it’s so easy to log on and tune in to church from our couch, or forego joining with our group weekly because we can watch videos in our pj’s from home, we honestly may end up missing something God has for us. We must not let ourselves get lazy. It’s great to have these conveniences right at our fingertips, but impartation happens in proximity. Is there a “place” He’s “placed” in your heart to go? Is there someone you’re supposed to be reaching out to? Is there somewhere you’re supposed to be positioning yourself on a regular basis? What He has for you is…there. Do what you need to do to show up.
4.) Revelation often leads to reshaping.
“…the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: … can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand. Jeremiah 18:4-6 NLT
In His hands, we are like clay. Moldable. Re-shape-able. Pliable. I think it’s safe to say that there are areas in all of our lives where things didn’t “turn out as we had hoped.” Seasons in our lives that didn’t turn out as we had thought. But my gosh, how often do we sit there and try and try to make the last thing, work?
Whether it’s past mistakes or disappointments, or just places where we flat didn’t get it right, whether it’s new assignments that we are being prepared for, God is able to take all that we are and make something new out of it. Out of us. Notice He doesn’t eradicate all that we first were. We don’t lose our identity; the Potter uses the same piece of clay but does something entirely new with it.
There are times when we will find that we’re at a place where a new beginning is necessary. We may find ourselves at a place where we must start over. And especially in those times when our assignment has changed, we’ve got to let Him remold us for our new assignment. We’ve got to be okay with the fact that nothing will look like what it once did. Lean into the remolding process and just let Him just reshape us.
Thanks for reading and blessings to you as together, we yield to the Potter’s Hands.
Linda
Linda G Riddle 