“…can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:6 (ESV)

Happy New Year! May 2025 reveal the masterpiece God is making of you.

What did you learn in the past year? List some of the areas where you grew.

Are you closer to God than you were a year ago? If so, how did you become closer to Him? Please share in the Comments so we can all learn from each other!

In this new monthly series, Clay in the Potter’s Hands, we’ll look at the work of a potter, and consider the applications of us being the clay in the Potter’s hands, for God is our Creator. The series will cover various aspects of the Potter’s work with us as the clay, including preparation, purpose, brokenness, firing, and the Potter’s masterful forming us into beautiful masterpieces. Look for additional devotionals on February 1, and on the first of each month to follow.

As we look ahead to 2025, how do you want to grow? What do you want to see change?

I’m looking for a new beginning in my life. My over-committed schedule is leading to needed changes. Too often God and my family get scraps of my time. I want to have Jesus be first in my life, and to faithfully follow Him. It’s time I learn to rest in God’s hands.

A sermon on Jeremiah 18:6 (above) referred to the Lord as the potter and the House of Israel as the clay. This got me thinking. If I am clay in God’s hands, am I good clay? How can I be useful clay?

First, let’s look at clay. Clay comes from dirt. Andy Ward’s Ancient Pottery video explains the procedure.ⁱ Wild clay is gathered and processed. Dirt is ground up to separate the soil particles. The soil is sifted to remove debris such as plants and gravel. Water is added to a bucket of soil to separate the clay from the heavier silt and sand. The purified clay is poured out and dried. Clay shrinks and cracks as it dries, especially if it dries unevenly. To reduce the cracking, the clay is tempered with sand, volcanic ash, or grog (fired clay particles).

God is the Potter. We are the Clay.

God started mankind with dirt (Genesis 2:7). Spiritually we start from wild clay, filled with weeds of sin and rocky hearts towards God.

Jesus removes the sin weeds from our life. Jesus saves us! He took the punishment for sin in our place when He died on the cross (Romans 5:6–11). When we in faith ask for His forgiveness of our sins, our risen Savior forgives us!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (ESV)

Just as the water purifies the clay, the Living Water flows into the life of each believer to purify the individual (John 7:37–39). Our rocky hearts are removed and we are given hearts that will seek God.

The Holy Spirit works within us, like the sand or other temper material works to keep the clay from cracking. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26–27), helps us, teaches us, and reminds us of Jesus’ teachings (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin (John 16:8) so we can confess it and not have sin block our relationship with God. We don’t change on our own. The Holy Spirit helps us become more like Jesus.

Are you purified clay? If you have not yet asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of sin, I pray you will do that today.

How is the Holy Spirit evident in your life? Please share in the Comments.

Let’s become better clay so God will make us useful for His service.

Lord, I’m thankful that You are the potter. Please mold me into whatever brings you glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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i Andy Ward’s Ancient Pottery episode, “How to Make Clay at Home (It’s Just Dirt)”on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca20JkKFAcE Accessed January 16, 2025.

Top clay photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

Scriptures marked ESV are taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV): Scriptures taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission

Thank you for reading my devotionals. You can go back to past devotionals if you missed any of the Attributes of God: A to Z series in 2024, or others dating back to August 2020. Click on the date under the title to expand the text.