Fears and Tears

I have been spending time with the Lord in morning prayer using the practice of Lectio Divina, which means sacred reading. The steps of Lectio Divina are: read a scripture passage, meditate on it, respond to the Lord, and listen to His response. I follow up the time with journal writing to document my experience. It is a great way to spend time and pray with the living scriptures.

The scripture passage that I have been praying with is from Jeremiah 18: 1-6, the Potter and the Clay. I begin with prayer to the Holy Spirit to open up my heart and mind to God’s word.

This word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Arise and go down to the potter’s house; there you will hear my word. I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, working at the wheel. Whenever the vessel of clay he was working on turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making another vessel of whatever sort he pleased. Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? – oracle of the Lord. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. Jer. 18:1-6

As I am reading the passage, I get an image of God the Father as the potter, and I am the clay in His hands. God is shaping me into a new vessel.

The clay is the same, but a change is happening in the hands of God. The clay must surrender to be shaped by Him. He fashions the clay into a hollow vessel so to be filled by Him.

He fills me with “new wine”, like the wedding feast at Cana. The water has been transformed by a miracle. I am the same, but I am different, I am changed in God’s hands. He makes me new; He pours His mercy in, and I am touched by God the Father, Jesus His son, and the Holy Spirit. I am filled with choice wine to the brim which He gives in abundance. He holds nothing back.

He asks the same of me. I am to surrender to Him. I give Him the heavy burdens that weigh me down. I surrender all to God, because I trust in Him. I can do this by much prayer and the grace of God. He remakes my vessel and He fills me with hope, love and mercy.

His hands surround me and I feel His embrace. He is with me, He is always with me. God causes the rain to fall upon me, the showers to soften me, and the sun to warm me. He gives me His blessing. I praise Him for all His gifts given me. He is the potter and I am the clay.