GOD HAD A PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE
MEMORISE: 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
READ: Jeremiah 18:1-6
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
MESSAGE
In our Bible reading for today, a potter was trying to make a vessel, but it became marred in his hand, so he decided to make another. I preached a sermon over 30 years ago titled "Seeing the invisible ". I gave an illustration in the sermon using a log of wood. When you see a log of wood, you may not observe anything special, but a sculptor could look at it and visualize a lion. He would then take his hammer and chisel, chipping off a little here, a little there. Eventually, the head of the lion would appear. In the course of the sculptor's work, the wood could split open suddenly, in which case he could then say to it "Well, l wanted to make a lion out of you, but it looks like l would only be able to make a cat because you have cracked open in a way l did not intend". He would then get to work making a cat but, should he discover another flaw in the wood, he may then say, "Okay, l will make a rat out of you". If he discovers even more flaws in the wood, he may then be compelled to use it as firewood.
Song of Solomon 2:15 says:
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
The flaws you ignore in yourself can destroy God's purpose for your life. If you fail to deal with these faults decisively, they will end up hindering God's plan for your life. You may have been told that you talk too much, yet are not doing anything about it. God may have warned you that you eat too much, yet you keep eating irresponsibly. Maybe someone has even told you that you get angry too easily but you claim that people from your tribe are usually like that. These things, little as they may seem, will make it hard for God to fulfil His purpose in your life.
The Potter is very good at His craft, but the clay has to allow the Potter's purpose to be fulfilled. Check yourself: between last year and now, have you grown? Have you dropped your bad habits? Have you picked up new habits that will help you fulfil God's purpose for your life? A new year is about to start; get rid of those little foxes that have been spoiling your vine. Don't be an obstacle to your progress and the fulfillment of God's plans in your life.
REFLECTION
What era those weakness that you must get rid of ? Begin to take action to get rid of them now.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 8-11
HYMN 16: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST
God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
2 Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.
3 Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
4 A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
6 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.
