In a recent post, I referenced how God, in His grace, allows each of us opportunities to start over in life. This principle was demonstrated to Jeremiah the prophet when he made a visit to house of a local potter (as recorded in chapter 18, verses 1-6).
There, Jeremiah witnessed a pot which, once made, had somehow became marred. However, rather than discard it, the potter simply took it into his hands again and began to rework it. In short order, the master pot maker had reformed the clay and produced a beautiful new, unmarred pot.
God’s explanation to Jeremiah (as recorded in verses 5 and 6) was this: "Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 'Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel…'"
This principle was proven true over and over again in the lives of many prominent people in the Bible. Among them were such esteemed leaders of God’s people as Peter, Elijah, and Moses, all of whom made terrible mistakes in their lives. After all, Peter denied Christ and then ran and hid, Elijah stood for God, but then also ran and hid from the enemies of God's people. Moses did the very same thing, fleeing in fear for his life. Only his situation was greatly compounded by the fact that he had just murdered one of those enemies!
And yet, each of these individuals shared one other thing in common. At the time of their miserable failures, their most productive days of service in the name of the Lord still lay ahead of them!
I once read a story about a new hair salon that opened up for business right across the street from an old established Barber’s shop. The fancy new salon put up a large conspicuous sign which boldly proclaimed: “WE GIVE $7 HAIRCUTS!” Not to be outdone, the wise old Master Barber thought about it and then put up his own sign, which read simply: “WE FIX $7 HAIRCUTS!”
I’m glad our God is much the same! I’m glad to know that we serve a God Who can fix any mistakes we experience, whether we bring these upon ourselves or otherwise naively wander into them.
Yes, my friends, I’m glad our Master can handle anything that happens to us. More importantly, I’m glad to know He can set things anew in our lives and then use us once again!
JOKE SOURCE: Available widely on the internet in varying versions. See, for example: http://jokebriefcase.blogspot.com/2008/11/7-haircut.html.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/jeremiah/18.htm.
There, Jeremiah witnessed a pot which, once made, had somehow became marred. However, rather than discard it, the potter simply took it into his hands again and began to rework it. In short order, the master pot maker had reformed the clay and produced a beautiful new, unmarred pot.
God’s explanation to Jeremiah (as recorded in verses 5 and 6) was this: "Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 'Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel…'"
This principle was proven true over and over again in the lives of many prominent people in the Bible. Among them were such esteemed leaders of God’s people as Peter, Elijah, and Moses, all of whom made terrible mistakes in their lives. After all, Peter denied Christ and then ran and hid, Elijah stood for God, but then also ran and hid from the enemies of God's people. Moses did the very same thing, fleeing in fear for his life. Only his situation was greatly compounded by the fact that he had just murdered one of those enemies!
And yet, each of these individuals shared one other thing in common. At the time of their miserable failures, their most productive days of service in the name of the Lord still lay ahead of them!
I once read a story about a new hair salon that opened up for business right across the street from an old established Barber’s shop. The fancy new salon put up a large conspicuous sign which boldly proclaimed: “WE GIVE $7 HAIRCUTS!” Not to be outdone, the wise old Master Barber thought about it and then put up his own sign, which read simply: “WE FIX $7 HAIRCUTS!”
I’m glad our God is much the same! I’m glad to know that we serve a God Who can fix any mistakes we experience, whether we bring these upon ourselves or otherwise naively wander into them.
Yes, my friends, I’m glad our Master can handle anything that happens to us. More importantly, I’m glad to know He can set things anew in our lives and then use us once again!
JOKE SOURCE: Available widely on the internet in varying versions. See, for example: http://jokebriefcase.blogspot.com/2008/11/7-haircut.html.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/jeremiah/18.htm.