Jeremiah 18:1-10: a reflection

1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.” 3Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels. 4When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying, 6“House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. 7At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it, 8if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. 9At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, 10if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they don’t obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.

God sends Jeremiah to the potter's house to learn a lesson from the potter at his wheel. As the prophet watches, a vessel the potter is shaping is marred in his hands; but the potter does not throw the clay away. Instead he works it again into another vessel, as seemed good to him to make it. Then God says: as the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. God is the potter, and we are the clay in his hand; and the marred vessel is not discarded but reshaped, remade into something as the potter sees fit. God does not throw away the marred clay; he reworks it, shaping it again with his own hand. To be in God's hand as clay is to be shaped by him, and, when marred, not discarded but reshaped; the potter does not give up on the clay but works it again into another vessel.

Notice what the potter does with the marred vessel: he does not discard it, but reshapes it. The clay is marred in his hands; but rather than throw it away, he works it again into another vessel, as seemed good to him. This is the picture God gives of himself as the potter and us as the clay: when the vessel is marred, he does not cast it off but reshapes it, remaking it by his own hand. To be clay in God's hand is to be subject to his shaping, and, when we are marred, not to be discarded but reworked into what he sees fit to make. The potter's hand does not give up on the clay; it reshapes what is marred. This calls for submission to the potter's hand, trusting that even when we are marred, he does not throw us away but reshapes us. The clay is not master of its own shape; it yields to the potter, who remakes even the marred vessel.

That is worth taking to heart, for God the potter reshapes even the marred vessel rather than discarding it, and we are called to submit to his shaping hand. We can fear that when we are marred, spoiled by our own failures, God will discard us; but the potter did not throw away the marred clay, he reshaped it, and God is such a potter to us. We are clay in his hand, subject to his shaping, and when we are marred, not discarded but reworked. There is comfort in this, and a call to submit to the potter's hand. Do not fear that God will discard you when you are marred; submit to his shaping hand, which reshapes even the marred vessel rather than casting it off. Submit to God the potter, who reshapes even the marred vessel rather than discarding it, trusting his shaping hand as the clay yields to the potter, as God showed Jeremiah the potter reworking the marred clay into another vessel and said, so are you in my hand; for we are clay in God's hand, subject to his shaping, and when we are marred by our own failures he does not throw us away but reworks us, so that we can yield to his hand rather than fear it, trusting that he remakes even the marred vessel.

Lord, you send Jeremiah to the potter's house to learn a lesson from the potter at his wheel. As the prophet watches, a vessel the potter is shaping is marred in his hands; but the potter does not throw the clay away. Instead he works it again into another vessel, as seemed good to him to make it. Then you say: as the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. You are the potter, and we are the clay in your hand; and the marred vessel is not discarded but reshaped, remade as the potter sees fit. You do not throw away the marred clay; you rework it, shaping it again with your own hand. Show me what the potter does with the marred vessel: he does not discard it, but reshapes it. The clay is marred in his hands; but rather than throw it away, he works it again into another vessel. This is the picture you give of yourself as the potter and me as the clay: when the vessel is marred, you do not cast it off but reshape it, remaking it by your own hand. To be clay in your hand is to be subject to your shaping, and, when I am marred, not to be discarded but reworked. This calls for submission to your hand, trusting that even when I am marred, you do not throw me away. Take that to my heart, for you the potter reshape even the marred vessel rather than discarding it, and I am called to submit to your shaping hand. I can fear that when I am marred, spoiled by my own failures, you will discard me; but the potter did not throw away the marred clay, he reshaped it, and you are such a potter to me. Keep me from fearing that you will discard me when I am marred; help me submit to your shaping hand, Lord, which reshapes even the marred vessel rather than casting it off, as you showed Jeremiah the potter reworking the marred clay and said, so are you in my hand.