Daniel Fast (Day Seventeen-Broken)

(February 8th, 2012)

A broken vessel. This was the result of my attempt to construct a beautiful Jomon clay pot tonight for my ceramics class. After completing one fairly easily, I went on to begin another. This time, it was much more difficult. The clay wasn't the right consistency. It was too dried and only crumbled in my hands. I added water to soften it, just as I did for the other, but for this one it was not working. After almost an hour, I had only built up 2-3 inches. Normally, my patience helps me slowly work with the clay and back off when I need to. But tonight, the clay and I just weren't communicating well. I wanted it to stand up and it wanted to just fall over. Eventually, it laid on the table in several pieces. The clay had resisted the shape I wanted it to take.


Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8


Just as I desired for the clay to submit to me, The Lord wants us to submit to His providence. The first lump of clay I worked with was totally, unconditionally, passive in my hand. It gave no resistance. The same happens when we come to peace with God; then we become as clay in the hand of the Potter, making no resistance to whatever the Lord will make of us. When we are unconditionally surrendered to whatever the Lord will make of us, we find peace.


A lot of times we aren't like the first lump of clay. We instead resist the Potter, stubborn and wanting to control how we are shaped. Sometimes God sends us trials to mold us. The Lord said His ways are higher than our ways. His revealed purpose in Isaiah 55:7 says, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

That purpose is so simple and so pure. It is that our hearts return unto the Lord; we are to stop cleaving to the things of this dust. Truly, as clay in His hands, without any resistance or attempts to dictate or form the vessel, we are to let Him do the forming. He is the Potter. We are to return unconditionally, surrendering our will to His. Then we also have the reward: he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.