There are several Scripture passages that liken God to a potter and us to clay. It’s the Creator’s right to transform and shape His children’s lives as He sees fit, and He is conforming us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). In other words, He is helping us not conform to the world or give in to our former lusts (Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 1:14).
The problem arises when we don’t like the molding process. Then we argue with our Potter and complain about the difficulties and afflictions that sometimes result when He shapes us. Isaiah 45:9 puts it this way: “Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’” Our part as clay is to remain pliable and submit to the Lord’s purposes—not to let parts of our life toughen and resist His attempts to shape us.
God will work to remove those hard lumps so He can form us into vessels that are useful and pleasing to Him. Our responsibility is to accept any changes from the Master Potter. We can do this confidently because we are in His competent, skillful, and loving hands. And that is the safest and most satisfying place we can be.
Most people don’t set out to sabotage their future, yet it can happen anyway because of their own ignorance, rebellion, or blatant disregard for God and His Word. The course of one’s entire life can be derailed by foolish errors in judgment, and future consequences can be disastrous.
As Christians, we have God’s Word and His Spirit to guard and guide us, but that doesn’t make us immune to poor choices, especially in times of weakness. We’re more likely to make unwise decisions when extremely hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. Let these conditions—and the acrostic H-A-L-T—signal to us that it’s time to pause and evaluate our decision-making.
Impatience and strong desires can also lead us astray and blind us to potential consequences. That’s why we must learn to make decisions by using a long-term perspective instead of focusing on what is immediately in front of us.
As you look back over your life, do you see choices made in times of weakness or impatience that have led to negative outcomes? Even when a need seems urgent, it’s best to slow down and carefully consider your steps so you can be satisfied with the course ahead.
Today’s Scripture reading tells the story of two brothers, one of whom was willing to sell his birthright (a double share of his father’s inheritance) for a bowl of stew. Why would Esau relinquish such a valuable asset for a temporary need? According to Hebrews, his foolish decision sprang from a godless heart (Hebrews 12:16). Esau didn’t value what God had given him but was concerned only about his immediate needs.
The problem with this mindset is that it leaves no room for things of eternal value—in other words, things of God. Of course, we all like to think we have enough common sense and intelligence to make good decisions. But as followers of Christ, we must rely upon the Lord’s wisdom instead of our own.
If you’re constantly preoccupied with immediate needs and desires, ask the Lord to help you understand what He wants for your future. Read His Word and ask for guidance to a path that brings Him everlasting glory. As was true of Esau, certain decisions you make will have long-term consequences. So trust the Lord, and carefully consider the eternal outcome before you make a commitment.
Have you ever wondered why a God of love lets bad things happen to you? Or whether your past keeps Him from loving you? But just because you may feel unloved doesn’t mean that you actually are. The apostle Paul could probably relate. In today’s reading we see that he encountered hardship after hardship while following God. And his past was so checkered with sin (Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-2) that he could have assumed he had good reason to feel unloved.
Yet Paul kept spreading his message of hope—that God loves us and sent His Son to die for our sins. The situation we find ourselves in may be unfair, painful, or humiliating, but it doesn’t mean God has stopped loving us. Sometimes we face difficulty because He is smoothing our rough edges and molding us into His image. Other trials are instigated by Satan but are allowed through the Lord’s permissive will.
Either way, God is working everything out for our good, according to His specific purposes for each believer’s life (Romans 8:28). The key to accepting the truth of God’s unconditional love is to focus attention on Him rather than on your circumstances. When you are learning of Him, talking with Him, and sharing your life with Him, trust and faith will replace doubt and fear.
To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout.
Have you ever considered that fingerprints are an amazing example of how much God cares for us? Each of us is born with a certain arrangement of arches, loops, and whorls on our hands, and they don’t change as we grow or age. They are also exclusive. Think about that for a moment: Out of roughly eight billion people on earth, no two of us have the same fingerprint.
We’ve each been uniquely created by God. What’s more, He has a singular plan for every life (Jeremiah 1:5; Proverbs 16:3-4; Proverbs 16:9). There is no such thing as a non-valuable person in God’s eyes—He loves every single one of us equally and is personally involved in seeing His plans for our lives come to fulfillment. In fact, it brings Him joy to do so! So instead of comparing yourself to others or feeling inconsequential, look at the intricacy of your fingertips and remember: You are one of a kind and well-loved by the Creator God who brought you into being.
Think about it
• Have you recently spent time considering what God has planned for your life? Sit down with Him in prayer and ask for guidance and clarification to get on the right track.
