Flawed

"But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him."

Jeremiah 18:4

As a student in college, I had the opportunity to watch a potter work with clay.  He had his clay stained apron on, a board laid in front of him, and a wheel to turn the clay.  He began working the clay making it more malleable so that it would take the shape he intended.  But as he worked the clay revealed its flaws, it would not take the shape he originally had in mind.  Rather than discard the clay, he formed it back into a lump and began his work again.  He had seen its flaws and chose to reshape the clay into something else.  He worked it and worked it until it began to take the shape of a wide shallow bowl.  He formed it in spite of its flaws. 

Jeremiah compares Yahweh to a potter. Yahweh took the clay into his hands and began to shape it, but it was marred, flawed so he rather than discard it, he reformed it. 

We are like lumps of clay.  We have flaws that lie beneath the surface.  As God works to shape us and mold us into the image he has for us, our flaws are revealed.  But God does not choose to discard us and find someone else to shape.  He reforms us into the image he has for us.  He does not leave us.  He works more thoroughly in us to remold us into the likeness of his Son, our Savior, Jesus. 

I am a flawed man.  It seems like each day my flaws are exposed.  I can choose to despair at my flaws, to become defeated and dejected that I am weak.  Or I can recognize that the exposure of my flaws is an opportunity to allow the Master to remold and reform them according to his purpose.  Each day, I try to choose reformation!

When your see your flaws, do not despair that you are flawed, but rejoice that the Master Potter is working to form you and mold you into his image! 

Are you allowing Yahweh to mold you into his image, flaws and all?

Invest

"Great leaders are built more often than they are found! Invest in someone today!"

 -Craig Groeschel, Pastor of Lifechurch.tv

Not only is that true for leaders, but that is also true for disciples.  Very rarely does someone become a follower of Christ on their own.  Usually, a person's faith journey is travelled with others.  Someone comes along and helps fan the spark of belief into a roaring fire of passionte faith. 

At least, that is how it happened in my life. I was raised going to church every Sunday.  I had a spark of belief.  I heard about Jesus often and I believed, but it was the influence of some wonderful people that fanned my spark into a passionate fire.  My mom nutured my faith and demonstrated her quiet faith.  My dad revealed God's power to transform lives. Tom inspired me to speak out about Christ to my friends and neighbors. Randy lived with a joy and passion that was infectious.  Each of these people took time to care for me, teach me, and inspire me to follow Jesus with my all.  I would not be man I am today.  I would not be the Pastor I am today without the investment of these people.  Thank you to each one.  

Who invested in your life so that your spark become a passionate fire?  

Whose life will you invest in so that their spark will become a passionate fire?  

Who are you investing in?

Legacy

Recently, I have been reading the stories of the kings of Israel and Judah in 1 and 2 Chronicles.  Each story recounts portions of the life and deeds of these kings.  Some did very good things.  Some did very bad things.  And each king's life is summed up with a phrase.  They are spoken of as either walking in the ways of their father David pleasing God or they walked in the ways of the kings of Israel not pleasing God. 

In 2 Chornicles 21, the story of Jehoram king of Judah is told.  Jehoram is described as walking in the ways of the kings of Israel.  He put his brothers to death by the sword.  His enemies revolted against him.  He was stricken by an incurable bowel disease.  He led the people into worship of false gods and idols. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. It says that at his death "his people made no fire in his honor, as they had for his fathers." He made the lives of the people around him worse.

His life is summed up in these phrases in 2 Chronicles 21:20:
"Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.  He passed away to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings."

He was so disliked that he passed away to no one's regret.  Everyone was pleased to see him go.  No one mourned at his passing.  Jehoram died and no one mourned.

That phrase struck me, to no one's regret. His legacy was a combined "good riddance".

Our legacy is the impact we have on this world.  The marks we leave behind on the lives of the people we encounter.  Are the lives we impact better for knowing us? 

What is your legacy? When people think about you, do they see the positive impact you have on their life? 

Do you walk in a way to honor God and love people? 

Are do people think of you like Jehoram, good riddance?

What is your legacy?

Want

What is your biggest want? If God asked you what he could give you, what would you ask to receive?

My intial reaction is to ask for my debts to be paid off, for a new car, a house, a healthy family.

But recently, I began the Bible in 90 days reading plan.  I am on day 31 of 90.  The last couple weeks I have read the Old Testament historical books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Today, I read from 1 Chronicles 24 to 2 Chronicles 7.  This passage chronicles the end of David's reign and the beginning of Solomon's reign.  Solomon takes over for his father and begins his reign.  Yahweh comes to him at night and says, "ask for whatever you want me to give you." 

If God asked you that question, how would you respond?

The questions seems to imply that whatever Solomon asks for he will receive.  He is just starting his reign.  There are many things he could ask to receive.  He could ask for wealth, power, prestige, women, long life, healthy children, or military success.  Yet, he does not ask for any of these. 

Solomon says, "give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead this people."

What a powerful request.  He seeks wisdom to lead well rather than material possessions, power, or prestige. 

God, let me lead well! 

That is my prayer and my request. 

Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead this people well!

If God asked you that question, how would you respond?