The Potter’s Wheel
There is a very old metaphor about God and his relationship to his children. This metaphor can be described as the potter’s wheel being the world, God as the potter, and individuals being the clay - body, mind, and soul. In other words, God is the artisan that shapes the lives of all us on the wheel of life. This wheel consistently revolves and transforms the clay into works of art that are both beautiful and useful. I found two Biblical references to this potter’s wheel in both the book of Isaiah and Jeramiah.
“And yet, O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay and you are the potter. We are formed by your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)
“O Israel, can’t I do to you as the potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” (Jeremiah 6:8)
I’ve thought about this metaphor about the potter’s wheel many times in my life because it has helped me define my relationship to God and helped me to explain my purpose in the world. For me, the world represents the adversity I’ve faced over the years in an effort to improve my character. Many times God has shaped and reshaped me in order to make me a better a person. For example, in my early twenties, I was wandering around Chicago and then dumped in Cook County Jail because I failed to acknowledge my mental health challenges and my need for medication. I was forced to start over in life and confront my pride and arrogance.
All those years ago, I was also a horrible boyfriend who was selfish and self-centered. Every time I was in a relationship, God had to constantly work on my egotistical piece of clay and reshape me both mentally and in my relationships.
Physically, I’ve also been shaped by health issues that have required hospitalizations in the last year. This suffering has required faith, patience and perseverance. I eventually became desperate and God’s grace was needed for me to get well.
The idea of self-effort is when the metaphor of the potter’s wheel is, in part, misleading. It has been my experience that God’s grace and mercy that shapes the clay of the individual is almost always, at least partially, contingent upon my own hard work. It has required trust and humility, however, when my own efforts weren’t enough to be healed and to succeed in life. It has been a combination of my own faith and perseverance together with God’s grace, mercy and protection that have been needed, especially in times of despair.
It is also important for me to point out that usually when things came easy, I didn’t learn or grow very much. Instead my success without adversity led to egotism. My pride and the desire for recognition caused me to exaggerate my accomplishments in an effort to feel important. So, although adversity and suffering have been difficult, they allowed me to grow much faster than when my life was easier.
The concept of the potter’s wheel is in a larger sense implying that the world is always spinning and changing. In Eastern philosophy, the whole idea is to get off the wheel entirely and to reach a state of spiritual self-realization. Christianity also focuses on leaving the world of change and sorrow by making it to heaven. This requires a transformation of character that involves service to others and love. Also, it is needed to overcome the desires that keep us on the wheel until we have been transformed.
I’d like to finish today with three sets of verses from my book Passing through the Dream: A Book of Original Sayings from the chapter “Confronting the Wheel”:
- When destiny claims the wheel must roll on, God and His mercy can still overcome.
- Some prophets and saints have taught a great truth- To get off the wheel, the heart must be pure.
- Some seek the future or live in the past. Few can examine the problems at hand.
I hope you enjoyed reading about the potter’s wheel. Thanks for your support. See you next week!
(Please remember these are my own ideas, and I’m not attempting to persuade anyone to change theirs.).
Quotes:
“God’s part is to put forth power; our part is to put forth faith.” Andrew Bonar
“God never uses anyone greatly until He tests them deeply.” Aiden Wilson Tozar
“When you acknowledge God, He will go before you and make the crooked place straight.” Joel Osteen
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