The Master Potter

Recently, our school acquired a kiln. A whole new world of art has opened up for our elementary students, most of whom have physical disabilities. With the patient guidance of our art teacher, our students have plied clay to form pottery bowls and rolled clay into strips to make woven pottery baskets. When the raw clay pieces are finished, the art teacher “fires” them a first time, a process called bisque firing. She brings the fired pieces back to the students to be painted, or “glazed.” This is the part that fascinates me the most. The teacher sets out a number of jars of paint, each labeled with a color name. If they were not labeled, we would have no idea what color the paint was supposed to be. We trust her that the color that looks light green will actually be red, and the light purple will turn out to be yellow. The students delight in painting their artwork, and love to use a lot of different colors. As I assist eager little hands grasping flailing paint brushes, I find myself thinking, “okay, this will be a mess!” The art teacher smiles and tells us “these will be great!” and she carries them away to the kiln to be fired a second time. When she returns with the finished pieces, I am amazed…each piece is unique and utterly beautiful. The more varieties of paint that were used, the more beautiful the finished product turned out to be. Some of the pottery bowls went home for Mothers’ Day, and I am sure there were many delighted mothers.
“O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand”{Isaiah 64:8). What a profound analogy to reflect upon. God is forming each of us into a work of art, unique and beautiful. His hands are perfectly skilled, he does not make mistakes. The paint, or gloss, can be likened to the experiences of our lives. Each experience adds a dimension to who we are and brings us closer to the finished vessel our Potter plans for us to be. In our Christian journey, we are to “make every effort to add to faith, goodness, and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). As we eagerly attempt to pursue these qualities with unskilled hearts, our masterful Potter guides us through each life experience, adding, as it were, another color. We have to trust the Artist, because often circumstances in our lives don’t appear to be what we would expect or hope for. Trials come, refining us like fire, “so that our faith may be proved genuine” (I Peter 1:5-7). Our Potter knows exactly how much heat we need. Without the heat of the kiln, the pottery would remain fragile and plain. When heated at just the right temperature, for just the right amount of time, the pottery becomes a piece of art, a beautiful masterpiece, reflecting the glory of its Maker and given a place of honor in His house. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…” (Jeremiah 18:6). How thankful I am to be in those hands, or this clay would be a mess…

Mother's Day

And I pray that you, being rooted and established (“grounded” KJV) in love, may have power….to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love, that surpasses knowledge…. (Ephesians 3: 17-19). I just enjoyed the best Mother’s Day I can remember. There simply is no sweeter gift than spending the day with family, savoring good conversation, lots of laughter and the adoring attention of beautiful grandchildren. Truly, my cup is running over! The highlight of my day revolved around the planting of a tree. When my daughter, Lisa, was asked what she wanted for Mother’s Day, she said she wanted a dogwood tree for the backyard. My son-in-law delivered a sizable young tree while we were all together this afternoon. Each of the men took a turn to help dig the hole for the root ball, while Lisa mixed the overturned dirt with soil conditioner. Carefully, the tree was positioned in the hole, and the enriched soil was mounded around the root and pressed gently down around it. As we were all standing around admiring the new tree, my daughter suggested we offer a prayer of thanksgiving. Spontaneously, we held hands while she offered a simple prayer of thanks. She thanked God for the tree, for the special day, for all of us being together, and especially for the gift of family. It was a spontaneous moment, but it touched us all and moved some of us to tears. Reflecting on the day as we drove home this evening, I thought about that tree and the life-lessons that are so deeply interwoven into all of creation. A family is very much like a tree. I think of my mother and father in law, who were with us today, as the root of our family. They have set the example as pillars of faith and have helped each of us to become “rooted and grounded” in the love of God. As our lives have become established in the fertile soil of our God, His love has begun to flow in and through each of us, and we have become the branches, always reaching further and higher. It is our relationship with Him that has united, strengthened and enriched our family beyond measure. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener” (John 15:1) I love the picture of God as a gardener….after all, He planted the most beautiful garden imaginable in the garden of Eden. And I don’t think it is insignificant that when Mary first saw Jesus after His resurrection, she mistook Him for the gardener (John 20:15). God is the Master Gardner, and I pray that, as a family, we will bear fruit to His glory…”I am the vine, you are the branches….this is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit…” (John 15:5-8). I am going to love watching that little dogwood tree as it grows….especially on Mother’s Day…

“Don’t remind me!” is often the response we get when we wish someone a “happy birthday.” When we were young, we couldn’t wait to grown up. But as we cross that line considered “middle age” it’s as if every birthday reminds us of our mortality. It’s hard to see the vitality of youth giving way to aches and pains in places we didn’t even know we had places. Phyllis Diller once wrote that her body was falling so fast her gynecologist had to wear a hard hat! One good thing about growing older is the deeper realization that life is a gift, and it is a gift that bestows a great responsibility and wondrous opportunity. Around the first of the year I asked one of my dearest friends if she had a new year’s resolution. I was expecting an answer that revolved around a physical goal, like weight loss or “getting in shape.” Instead, with a look of resolve in her eyes, she responded, “To seek first the kingdom of God.” She added that although some physical goals were still important, they were no longer a priority in her life. I have thought often about what she said, and I have prayed that this would be my daily resolution as well. In praying about it, I have tried to understand the depth of what it means to “seek first the kingdom…”My friend was quoting from Matthew 6:33, where Christ tells his disciples to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (material provision) will be given to you as well.” I am astounded by how many times Christ refers to His kingdom. Matthew 4:23 says “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom….” His parables often centered on the kingdom. He said “this is what the kingdom of God is like…” as He began two parables, one about the growing seed and another about the mustard seed. Even the prophecies about Christ in the Old Testament focus on government….”for to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders….of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6-7) Yet, His government is not here yet. Matthew 4, verse 8 states that Satan took Christ “to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me.” Christ conquered the kingdom of darkness on the cross, but He has not yet deposed it’s ruler on this earth. “A day of the Lord is coming…the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west….the Lord will be king over the whole earth…” (Zechariah 14:1-9). Referring to that same period of time, Isaiah prophesies “They will not harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9). No wonder Christ taught his disciples to pray “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). So we are “Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Cor. 5:20) representing His coming kingdom. We are called to be “the salt of the earth…the light of the world,” caring about the things He cares about, being about “our Father’s business”(Luke 2:49, King James version).
And so, to my dear friend, and all of my friends and family in the faith, “I thank my God every time I remember you…in all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel ….being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”…the day of His return, when we will reign with Him as kings and priests (Rev. 1:6). May we all seek that kingdom above all else.

Lord of the Rings is one of my family's favorite movies. The special effects, the scenery, and, especially, the story captivated us. We enjoyed finding subtle meanings in Tolkein’s masterful work, especially because we knew his reputation as a Christian and close friend of C.S. Lewis. I appreciate a good story that leaves me reflecting on life lessons. With all of the technology we have available today, someone should make a movie about the Bible. Okay, that might be too big a task. But I would love a movie about the Holy Days…a movie that would depict the fulfillment of the holy days historically and attempt to depict them prophetically. That would be an epic. Families could sit around the dinner table for hours and discuss the subtle meanings of God’s masterful work. It could be the condensed version of the entire Bible. You could begin in the book of Leviticus…

“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies” (Lev. 23:1) As the chapter continues, God instructs His people, Israel, in the observance of His ordained festivals. The Israelites were already aware of at least two of these feast days because of significant events that had occurred on them, the Sabbath Day and the Passover. The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread were introduced in Exodus 12, when God commanded the Israelites to take the blood of a sacrificed lamb and put it on the sides and tops of their doorframes. The blood would be a sign so that He would “pass over” their houses when He struck down the first born in Egypt. They ate unleavened bread for seven days, as a reminder that they left Egypt in haste, with no time to bake leavened bread. They undoubtedly passed through the Red Sea during the days of unleavened bread, as all of Pharaoh’s soldiers pursued and were covered by the water. A few days later, as they began their sojourn in the desert, God introduced them to manna, referred to as “bread from heaven.” The people were told to gather manna each day, but only enough for that day because it would not last until morning. Some folks paid no attention to Moses and kept part of their manna overnight. The next morning, they awoke to maggots and an awful smell! There was an exception on the sixth day. On that day, they were to gather twice as much as they needed because the seventh day was a day of rest and they could not gather on that day. They were able to save it over until the next morning and it did not have maggots or stink (Exodus 16:5, 21-26). Several chapters before the law was given at Mt. Sinai, God says “bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath…(Ex. 16:29). Go back even further, to the beginning of time as recorded in Genesis chapter 2:2-3…God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.”
I am struck that God refers to these days as “the appointed feasts of the Lord.” They are not called the “feasts of Israel,” or the “feasts of the Jews.” As every festival is explained, God states “this is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” The King James Version puts it even more powerfully…”it shall a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations” (Lev. 23, KJV). It is obvious these holy days are extremely important to God, and that makes them extremely significant for Christians. I believe the holy days weave the Old and New Testaments together in a beautiful tapestry that reflects the glory, power, love and mercy of our God, and that, in them, we are given a picture of God’s kingdom calendar. It makes an inspiring (and fun!) study to find some of the amazing historical events that have occurred on the holy days. The events that took place on the original Passover as God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt are well known and widely understood to have been prophetic. When Christ “our Passover was sacrificed for us” this event became the first holy day to be fulfilled in history. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea during the days of Unleavened Bread, and “were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (I. Cor. 10:2). Forty years later, immediately after they entered the promised land under Joshua, “on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover” (Joshua 5:10). The city of Jericho loomed as their first big obstacle. During the seven days of Unleavened Bread that followed, God commanded them to march around the city of Jericho once each day. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times, the priests sounded trumpets made of rams horns, the Israelites shouted, and the walls of the city collapsed (Joshua 6). These are great stories of God’s powerful deliverance that can inspire us and increase our faith. They teach us that becoming a Christian (coming under the blood of the Lamb, leaving the Egypts of our lives, being buried with Christ in baptism) does not guarantee an easy journey. God will not lead us the easy way. We may end up facing an impassable Red Sea, or a daunting obstacle like the heavily fortified city of Jericho. We need to remember God’s promise to Joshua, “I will never leave you or forsake you…be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:5,9). And this is only the first scene of the movie!

I loved getting my first bread making machine. We would dump in all of the ingredients, set the timer, and wake up to the smell of fresh bread. What could be easier? However, there were a few times when I forgot to add the yeast, and we awakened to a warm brick instead of a warm loaf. Yeast is a fascinating organism that we give little thought to (unless we accidentally leave it out of the bread dough!). Yeast microbes have been used for fermentation and baking for centuries. Researchers believe that they were first used in Ancient Egypt when they were discovered accidentally. They speculate that a combination of flour meal and water was left out longer than usual on a warm day and began to ferment due to naturally occurring yeasts. The resulting light and flavorful bread would have been a nice change from the flat, hard bread they were used to.

During this Passover season, yeast takes on a special significance. According to Leviticus 23:5-6, the Passover meal, on Passover night, was to be eaten with unleavened bread, or bread without yeast. Following the Passover were seven days when only unleavened bread could be eaten. In Corinthians 5:8, referring to the Passover, Paul said “Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (KJV). Leaven was clearly pictured as a representation of sin. Paul corrects the Corinthians for being “puffed up” and he explains that “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (I Cor. 5). Interestingly, if allowed to grow unchecked, yeast can cause metabolic changes in food and cause the food to spoil. What a perfect analogy for sin!

Years ago, when our family belonged to a church that rigorously kept the letter of the law, we attempted to rid our homes of all leaven before Passover arrived. I say “attempted” because we never actually achieved it! No matter how hard we tried, leaven would turn up in the least expected places. I remember scrubbing the stove, cleaning out the cupboards and the refrigerator, turning up sofa cushions and lifting carpets to vacuum. We threw out perfectly good food if it contained leavening, or even baking soda (which can become a leavening agent). After days of cleaning, we could partake of the Passover service (actually a communion service) feeling righteous, until, a day or two later, we would find we had forgotten to destroy the vacuum cleaner bag (FULL of our old leaven!). Or we would find ourselves enjoying a doughnut right in the middle of the days of unleavened bread simply because we had forgotten about leavening and had let our guard down. We would usually remember after the first delicious bite, and then have to fight the temptation of “just once won’t matter!” I am so grateful to have had those experiences. Although we have come out from under the burden of legalism, the lessons we learned during that time were priceless. Because of my many failed attempts to get rid of leaven, I have learned that I cannot overcome the power of sin by my own efforts. Yeast occurs naturally in the air, just as sin surrounds us. Our enemy is called “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). It is as if he is leavening the very air around us with sin, so that even we, as Christians, are susceptible to it unless we are partaking continually of the unleavened bread that is Jesus Christ. “The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it and said ‘Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you’…” Passover became the first holy day to be fulfilled in history. “For Christ our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (I Cor. 5:7).

Although I don’t adhere legalistically to the rituals of the Old Covenant, I find such a treasure in them. I understand now that the physical rituals given to the Israelites were actually given “as examples” for us (I Cor. 10:6). We are to “purge out the old leaven (of malice and wickedness) …that we may be a new lump…” (I love the Old King James for these verses!) It’s a process of putting away sin whenever we see it, and it’s harder now because the leaven is not in the cupboard, it’s in the heart. And the only place to get rid of our spiritual leaven is to give it to God, who covers it forever with the blood of His son. “By one sacrifice, He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrew 10:14). I think a piece of unleavened bread would taste pretty good right now…

I love watching the classic movie, Wizard of Oz. A wonderful and imaginative story unfolds as Dorothy and her friends, the scarecrow, the cowardly lion, and the tin man, follow the yellow brick road on a journey to find the emerald city and the “all powerful wizard.” I think just about everyone can relate to the story on some level. Certainly, we are all on a journey (and sometimes we wish that “yellow brick road” was more clearly marked!). And I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t realize I’m in need of brains, a little courage, and a lot more heart! There is one line in the movie, however, that has bothered me since I first watched the movie as a little girl. It occurs in a scene near the end of the movie, when the wizard is attempting to grant the requests of the four travelers. He tells the tin man, who wants a heart, that a “heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.” Sorry, Wizard, that just ain’t so! In fact, the One with the biggest heart of all is not loved nearly enough!

I love to take walks this time of year. New blossoms seem to spring to life with each new day. Spring is the season of new beginnings, and it is a season full of hope. It is the season when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. It is the time when we try to comprehend the incomprehensible…that the One who spoke all things into existence, who set the galaxies spinning, and who fashioned man with His own hands, gave His own life on the cross for a world that did not love Him! “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” (I John 3:16) “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (I Jo 3:10). I simply cannot grasp a heart that big. But I’m on a journey toward an emerald city (and sapphire, topaz, amethyst and other precious stones…where gold is so common it is the pavement on the streets! Rev 21) Instead of a yellow brick road, Jesus Christ is the “way, the life and the truth” (John 14:16). He gives me courage (Phil 4:13), he renews my mind (Romans 12:2), and He is working on my heart (Ps 51:10)….a work in progress! Thankfully, my heart will not be judged by what others think of me, but by how much God fills it with Himself, because He is love (I John 4:16).

I am so thankful our God is a God of relationship. He is the originator, designer and example of perfect relationship in Father, Spirit, Son. How amazing that He delights in relationship with us! We are children of the most high God (I. John 3:1)! Christ is our brother, and He calls us His friends (John 15:14-15).

“Friend” is a beautiful word. When it is spoken genuinely, it evokes feelings of mutual comfort, support, affection, respect and trust. Now that I’m entering the seventh decade of my life, I realize that I have had many acquaintances, but my true friends are one of God’s greatest gifts. Recently I received a lovely card from Pam, my best friend from high school. That may not sound significant, but we had lost touch after graduation and had not seen or heard from each other in more than forty years! She had found my name by searching the internet (there are advantages to having an unusual name) and made contact right away. We were both stunned to learn we lived only hours from each other (though more than 1,500 miles from where we went to school!), and that our lives had followed similar paths. We were both teachers, both had married “Bobs,” both had sons named Robby, and both had a grandchild named Addien! Our greatest joy was to discover that we were both committed to God and in love with His word. That commitment was what had bonded us together as friends more than four decades ago. Though we shared classes, worked on the yearbook together, and were members of the same girls’ club, what really drew us together was the faith we shared. We did not attend the same church, we did not agree on everything, but we agreed on the most important thing! One of my favorite songs is by Michael W. Smith, and it is titled “Friends.” I believe the words, “Friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them…a friend will not say “never” and the welcome will not end…” Pam and I recently spent an afternoon together, renewing our bond of friendship. As we shared and laughed, the years melted away. I think we both felt like teenagers again for a brief moment. We are committed to staying in touch. I think we will. After all, we share a mutual best friend. His name is Jesus.