TO THE POTTER’S HOUSE
I looked over the photographs of someone I once knew. Although that someone was I, I did not know her. This image of the past had been made with the finest imported clay. The colors were bright with hand painted designs intricately placed all around the vessel. The vessel that haunted me on the piece of paper was perfectly and uniquely shaped. Still in looking at this picture of seemingly beauty and perfection, memories of sadness and pain overwhelmed me. How could I look like I did in that picture and still remember so much pain? I never realized then what was tormenting me on the inside. Why do I remember it now after so many years? How can I see it now? Then the answer swept over me like a flood. For the first time, I was on the outside looking in. I got up and went over to the mirror and looked at myself. The vessel before me was quite different than the one in the picture. The vessel that I am now showed many flaws…the once bright colored paint had faded. There were cracks in many places. Much of the clay was chipped in areas. The shape had lost much of its original mold. How unattractive this vessel in the mirror looked to me. Then I thought of what I would do...I would go to the Potter’s House so He could re-make me as I once was. The next day I knocked on the Potter’s Door. He opened it and invited me in. I showed Him the photograph and told Him what I wanted Him to do. I told Him that I felt much pain, hurt, sorrow, and rejection and needed to become new. He told me that He was willing to help me and had all the needed and necessary material in His House to make me brand new, even better than before. The Potter began to work on me immediately. He placed me on His spindle and very carefully began to re-shape and re-mold me. Many times I saw Him as He worked and there were tears in His eyes but He kept intently working on me, night and day. Most of this process for me was very uncomfortable and at times very painful…still I was willing to endure the process because I knew what the end result would be. I never knew that I needed so much work because many days had passed and The Potter continued working on me non-stop. Often I would ask Him if I could see what He had done to me so far but He kept working and told me that I would see the finished product very soon. The discomfort became more prominent even bringing tears from the pain but I knew I had to endure this process in order to reap the benefit of being made new. The spindle continued to turn and The Potter continued to work until one day I saw His hands drop and the spindle stopped turning. He said to me, “It is finished…you have been made new…all of the flaws have been repaired, the cracks have been restored and you are now a new vessel of honor.” I listened to Him and became very emotional because at His Words I no longer felt the pain, the hurt, the rejection and misery…I felt brand new. I wondered though what He had done to make me beautiful again…I never saw a paintbrush to restore the faded color…I never saw clay to fill in the cracks and repair the chips. I do not ever remember feeling Him even touch me on the outside. Still I knew He had worked very long and hard and I was anxious to see the finished product. I asked Him if I could go to the mirror and see the “New Me.” He escorted me to the mirror and much to my surprise, THERE WAS NOT ONE THING IN THE MIRROR THAT WAS DIFFERENT…MY IMAGE WAS THE SAME AS WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED AT HIS HOUSE! This had to be a mistake…He worked hard and long…I felt the pain and discomfort of the process…He told me I was new. I looked at Him for an explanation and He had the expression of a very content and satisfied artist admiring His work. I did not understand this at all and began to weep. It was then that He lifted my face in His hands
and spoke these words to me that changed my life forever: You and others look at the outward appearance
while I look at the heart. You and others judge the
outward beauty but can never see the ugliness on the
inside of the vessel. It is dark when you look on
the inside of a vessel and much cannot be seen even when
you look, but I can see better on the inside. That
is what I looked at when you came here and that is what I
repaired. While on My spindle, My hands never
touched you on the outside but all My work was done on
the inside. You are now a vessel of beauty and a
vessel of honor and I can Glory and the Work of My Hands.
Go now and show yourself to the world and tell all what
has been done to you at the Potter’s House.” Tears consumed me from seeing this person…from feeling this person…joy and peace overcame me…I no longer felt rejected but loved. I felt brand new and it was all because of the work that was done by the Potter. I will never forget the day I walked in to the Potter’s House because my life will never be the same.
Isa 64:8 "But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our Potter; and we are the work of Thy Hand." Jer 18:3-4 "Then I went down to The Potter’s House, and, behold, He wrought a work on the wheels. 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." II Cor 4:7 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God, not of us."
This writing was inspired from a teaching tape of Rev. Melinda Lancaster entitled, "The Potter's House". I strongly recommend this teaching for anyone who at any time in their lives have been broken, bruised, wounded or hurt. For those that feel like their lives renders no hope...the damage is too severe...this teaching offers hope and healing. You will see from the powerful and anointed words of this tape and writing that God, The Potter is in the fixing business; He is in the recycling business; He is in the mending business. Stop by The Potter's House and hear and read what thus saith The Lord. I encourage you to make these two messages a part of your life. For a love gift of $5, we are offering the tape and writing, to include postage. To order the tape and writing, please send $5 to:
Thank you for taking the time to allow us to minister to you. God Bless You in your reading of The Potter's House.
|
