Committed To The Potter

Our theme is "Examine My Heart" and the key verse that focusing on is Psalm 26:2 - Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.

Today's word is "committed".

I like the illustration from the Bible about God being the potter and we are the clay. It is referenced in a number of verses but here it is in Isaiah. Chapter 64:8 “And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.” When you think about the relationship between the potter and the clay there are a number of points that you can make from this. One of the most obvious is that the potter has a will but the clay does not. The clay does not choose to be made into a cup or bowl or a plate. It is the will of the potter that chooses what the clay is molded and fashioned into. The clay is always subject to the will of the potter and it is committed to becoming what the potter wants it to become. This is the way that we should be. Our will becomes secondary and His will becomes primary and we commit to being what He wants us to be.

Many years ago during a time of prayer at a New years eve service I was praying on my knees and crying out to the Lord. I said Lord I give you all that I am - spirit, soul and body and I lay it all on the altar before you. I am dedicating myself to you this year. I want your total will for my life. I really want to change everything. I even think that I shed a good amount to tears during that prayer. I felt like I was committed once again to God's will for my life. In the middle of my "heartfelt" prayer the Lord said to me. "You have never had a problem getting up on the altar, you've had a problem staying up there."

Wow, that was a revelation to me and absolutely the truth at the same time. We say that the truth hurts...but actually it is a good hurt. When the Lord reveals the truth to us it is not to offend us but to help us. I had to really pray through this word that that the Lord gave me. And honestly it was a while before I began to understand that the Lord was showing me "Your intention is good but your follow through is not as good".

We can have good intentions but we need to be just as committed as we are desirous to change. Here's another way of saying it...Do we want change in our life as much as we are willing to count the cost and stay committed to follow through. Commitment and consistency are key to becoming what the Lord is forming us to become.

Do you want His will? And are you going to be committed and consistent to follow through with the changes that He shows you to make? These are the questions that we need to ask ourselves. Remember God knows you and He is patient and His grace is sufficient.

He is the potter and we are the committed clay.