Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - The Global of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Monday, 2 July 2018 "We're Marred by Sin" by William Coker, Jr. - Jeremiah 18:1-12.

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - The Global of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Monday, 2 July 2018 "We're Marred by Sin" by William Coker, Jr. - Jeremiah 18:1-12.
Jeremiah 18:1 This word came to Yirmeyahu from Adonai: 2 “Get up, and go down to the potter’s house; there I will tell you more.” 3 So I went down to the house of the potter; and there he was, working at the wheels. 4 Whenever a pot he made came out imperfect, the potter took the clay and made another pot with it, in whatever shape suited him.
5 Then the word of Adonai came to me: 6 “House of Isra’el, can’t I deal with you as the potter deals with his clay? — says Adonai. Look! You, house of Isra’el, are the same in my hand as the clay in the potter’s hand. 7 At one time, I may speak about uprooting, breaking down and destroying a nation or kingdom; 8 but if that nation turns from their evil, which prompted me to speak against it, then I relent concerning the disaster I had planned to inflict on it. 9 Similarly, at another time, I may speak about building and planting a nation or kingdom; 10 but if it behaves wickedly from my perspective and doesn’t listen to what I say, then I change my mind and don’t do the good I said I would do that would have helped it.
11 “So now, tell the people of Y’hudah and those living in Yerushalayim that this is what Adonai says:
‘I am designing disaster for you,
working out my plan against you.
Turn, each of you, from his evil ways;
improve your conduct and actions.’
12 “But they will answer, ‘It’s hopeless!
We will stick to our own plans;
each of us will stubbornly follow
his own evil desires!’ (Complete Jewish Bible).
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Making pottery was a common trade in ancient Israel. In Jerrmiah's day, the pottery wheel was two stones on a vertical axis. The potter kicked the lower stone to spin the upper stone on which the potter shaped the clay. The Lord’s invitation to visit the potter’s house provided Jeremiah autobiographical insights into YHWH's activity and Israel’s response.

A pottery artist once told me that the nature or quality of the clay is the ultimate determiner of what can be molded and created at the potter’s wheel. The artist will have an idea of an intended outcome; yet, sometimes after repeated attempts to shape the clay into the desired product, the “stubbornness” of the clay forces the artist to resign the original idea and to rework an alternative goal for the clay.
Jeremiah’s mission was to inform Israel of their callousness, like the stubborn clay. Although the LORD wanted Israel to reform and return to covenant relationship, only the ensuing judgment could avail to make them pliable to the potter’s touch. Jeremiah’s hope for God’s people must wait until the day of a new covenant (see 31:31-34). However, the call to turn away from evil and modify behavior remains.***
Hymn for Today: "Have Thine Own Way" by Adelaude A. Pollard.

1. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
2. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.
3. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.
4. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

Thought for Today: As each one has received some spiritual gift, he should use it to serve others, like good managers of God’s many-sided grace — (1 Peter 4:10) (Complete Jewish Bible)).

Please pray: That many people in Kenya will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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