He’s still working on me!

Yesterday as I made my way to our evening church service, the Lord begin to show me things in the Spirt.  It was things that were super simple yet so profound. I was reminded that my Creator is still working to shape me and refine me. 

The scripture that came to mind was :

Isaiah 64:8 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.

I was privileged some years ago to watch a true potter at work creating pottery from raw clay. The process is very interesting to me and truly amazes me how it comes to be such a beautiful creation. 

Here’s the story of my potter:

Jesus walked to the river and knelt beside the muddy shore. He dug into the earth with care and lifted out a heavy lump of clay — plain, unshaped, and without beauty.  Seeing what no one else saw.

“This,” He whispered, “though it looks like nothing, was made for something. In My hands, it will become more.”

He carried the clay back in His arms — not because it was perfect, but because He loved it.

In His workshop, Jesus began to press and fold the clay. He pushed out every stone, every air pocket, every hidden flaw. The clay groaned under the pressure, but the Potter did not stop.

The clay couldn’t understand the painful process. “For unless it is made ready,” He said, “it cannot be shaped.”

Think about these scriptures for a moment. They show us what will happen when we permit the stones, air and lumps to be removed. We will become more like Jesus!

Matthew 16:24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Lose my identity? Carry a big bulky cross on my back? We aren’t talking about a pendent on a necklace chain, we are talking about the real deal! The cross represents shame and pain! There’s a lot of places I won’t be able to go to with a cross on my back!)

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. (To save my life, I must lose it?! What does that even mean?!)

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ( will I really lose my soul if I focus on things in this world? I’m a good person! Isn’t that enough? What do I have to exchange for my soul?)

So many questions!

27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (In a nutshell, if I lose my life and live like Jesus wants me to live I will be rewarded? That doesn’t sound logical!)

Jesus showed me that He has a vision for my life but I have to surrender the stones, air bubbles and lumps that He is attempting to remove from my life. I was gripping them with all my might.

The stones, lumps and air bubbles are familiar to me. I don’t think I can live life without them! I mean does it really matter that there is a little stone in my dna? Will air bubbles really cause an issue in my structure? A lump is just a lump! No big deal! But all of the things I couldn’t let go of,  are the very things that will compromise the integrity of my vessel!

Luke 18:18 AMP ¶ A certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher [You who are essentially and morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?” 19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is [essentially and morally] good except God alone. 20 “You know the commandments: ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT TESTIFY FALSELY, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.’ 21 He replied, “I have kept all these things from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing; sell everything that you have and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have [abundant] treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Often the ways of God don’t make sense to us. Why did the rich young ruler need to sell everything and feed the poor? I am sure Jesus and His disciples could have benefited from the tithes alone. His money wasn’t the point! It was where was the ruler’s faith? In God or the money? 

Our dependence needs to be in Jesus! Our faith in Jesus is required! As the clay needs the potter to become vessels of honor, so do we! I dare say all of us obey the Ten Commandments. None of us have killed anybody today, we reverence the name of the Lord and we love our neighbor. However,  when Jesus asks us to “become My disciple, believe and trust in Me and walk the same path of life that I walk.” Do we start back pedaling and start counting the cost? 

Why is that? Living the life that Jesus calls us to is a wonderful life. The things that we are asked to give up are usually catalysts to deepen your relationship with Him. It’s the things that distract and get in the way of  our prayer time or our Bible time. 

Honestly, it’s not much different than playing sports. You have to give up your ‘me’ time to practice. And if you really are serious and want to go pro you give up everything to play the game! You can’t go on the field in your regular clothes, you got to be in uniform! Everybody needs to know what team you play for. You can’t eat what you want instead you have to fuel your body properly in order to stay fit. You absolutely have to work out! In essence, they tell you what to wear, where you can go and how to eat! Kinda like Jesus!

If we would do all of that to play sports,  what should we be doing to live for Jesus? How much more should i give? The argument could be said that sports isn’t my thing and on the spiritual side of things,  “I don’t really need a closer walk with Jesus, I’m doing just fine as I am”. Truly, I can’t think of a more terrorizing statement to make! We should strive every day to be closer to Him! I heard someone say we should strive today to be better than the person we were yesterday. Every day the question is… What can I do for Jesus Christ today?

Our life on earth is testing grounds for heaven. It’s getting us ready for eternity. Jesus related it to refining silver and gold. Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God! He puts us in the fire to test us and to remove the dross. He takes away  all the unnecessary baggage that weighs us down. We must allow the process required for us to be a strong clay pot or refined to sparkling silver or gold. 

We must surrender to the Potter and allow ourselves, as the clay, be placed on the wheel, Let the Master center us, and with gentle hands began to spin us round and round. Yielding to the motion, to stretch us  and press us,  tear us and and rebuild us as the potter forms us into His image. 

He puts us in the fire making us strong and resilient. The process seems so long but we made it through! After the fire, He holds us in His hands and admires His handiwork And whispers the words everyone wants to hear… well done! 

I want to be a vessel of honor!
I want to be pure gold!
I want to endure to the end so that I will be saved!
I need to fight the good fight of faith! Life is but a vapor!
What I do for Jesus matters!
I must be saved!

My prayer: Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see the plan you have for my life. I want to know you like I have never known you before! I want to see the truths in your Word! Lead me Lord and I will follow!