O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand - Isaiah 64:8
When God calls, we do not make a decision — we answer! Robert Murray McCheyne said, “The greatest need of my people is my own personal holiness.”
God interacts with us like our Father
- Jesus said, "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them" (Matt 19:14, Luke 18:16)
- Jesus said, "unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 18:3-4, Mark 10:15)
- Fathers want their children to grow up (1 Peter 2:2, 1 Cor 14:20)
- Application: We must approach God, submitting ourselves to him with childlike humility, faith, and simplicity - knowing that he loves us and is our greatest advocate. We don't talk back to God our creator with talk like, "why have you made me like this?" (Romans 9:20, Isaiah 29:16, Psalm 100:3).
Clay is prepared
- The purest clay is white and deep in the earth. Clay is separated from other materials. Clay sticks together and can be shaped into useful items like plates, cups, sinks, tiles. (good youtube video). Purity, wisdom, and preparation are illustrated by Jesus parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-46
- We pray to God, asking for him to prepare our heart; "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10, and we honor the preparation he does "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you" 1 Peter 3:15
- God is preparing us even when we are not aware or asking for it; Romans 8:28, "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" - 1 Cor 2:9
- When ready we present ourselves to God as aa one approved, as a living sacrifice, allowing him to mold us (2 Timothy 2:15, Romans 12:1-2)
- Prepared clay can be tested
A potter molds good clay
- God's holy people, who are faithful, loyal, and steadfast in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:1), having been given every spiritual blessing, adopted in his family, purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins (Eph 1:3-7),
The potter adds water to clay
- He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding (Eph 1:8, Isaiah 41:17-18, Isaiah 55:1-2),
- God himself is living water (Jeremiah 2:13, John 4:14), from our heart (John 7:38), promised long ago (Isaiah 44:3;58:11)
- We have the promised Holy Spirit having trusted in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:9-14)
- Being molded into Christ body (Eph 1:15-23), "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." - Isaiah 12:3
- We are the work of his hands - Eph 2:10,
http://biblehub.com/isaiah/64-8.htm
https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_the_father
http://www.gotquestions.org/let-the-little-children-come-to-me.html
http://biblehub.com/matthew/19-14.htm
https://www.openbible.info/topics/preparation
https://www.openbible.info/topics/living_water
