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Yielding to the Master Potter, February 20
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.
Isaiah 64:8
.
While the human agent is devising and planning for himself something that God
has withheld him from doing, he has a hard time. He complains and frets, and
has still increased difficulties. But when he submits to be as clay in the hands of
the potter, then God works the man into a vessel of honor. The clay submits to be
worked. If God had His way, hundreds would be worked and made into vessels as
He sees best.
Let the hand of God work the clay for His own service. He knows just what kind
of vessel He wants. To every man He has given his work. God knows what place he
is best fitted for. Many are working contrary to the will of God, and they spoil the
web. The Lord wants everyone to be submissive under His divine guidance. He will
place men where they will submit to be worked into oneness with Christ, bearing
His divine similitude. If self will submit to be worked, if you will cooperate with
God, if you will pray in unity, work in unity, all taking your place as threads in the
web of life, you will grow into a beautiful fabric that will rejoice the universe of
God.
The Potter cannot mold and fashion unto honor that which has never been placed
in His hands. The Christian life is one of daily surrender, submission, and continual
overcoming. Every day fresh victories will be gained. Self must be lost sight of,
and the love of God must be constantly cultivated. Thus we grow up into Christ.
Thus the life is fashioned according to the divine model.
Every child of God is to do his very best to uplift the standard of truth. He is to
work in God’s order. If self is exalted, Christ is not magnified. In His Word God
compares Himself to a potter, and His people to the clay. His work is to mold and
fashion them after His own similitude. The lesson they are to learn is the lesson
of submission. Self is not to be made prominent. If due attention is given to the
divine instruction, if self is surrendered to the divine will, the hand of the Potter
will produce a shapely vessel (
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White
Comments, vol. 4, 1154
).
The potter takes the clay in his hands and molds and fashions it according to his
own will. He kneads it and works it. He tears it apart and then presses it together....
Thus it becomes a vessel fit for use. So the great Master Worker desires to mold
and fashion us. And as the clay is in the hands of the potters, so are we to be in His
hands. We are not to try to do the work of the potter. Our part is to yield ourselves
to the molding of the Master Worker (
Testimonies For The Church 8:186, 187
).
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