Giving Shape
I love watching a potter at her wheel giving shape to clod of clay. At first all you see is this clump of brown earth. Moments later that useless lump takes the shape of a bowl, mug, vase, or some other useful vessel. I tried my hand at pottery in highschool, but I soon realised that shaping clay was not my thing. But anything pottery still gets my intrigue and our cupboards at home prove this to be true.
The ways of God are compared to a potter giving shape to clay. The apostle Paul compares God's sovereign way of working out his purposes in our lives to that of a potter and his clay: "One of you will say to me: ... 'Why did [God] make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" (Romans 9:19-21) God is giving shape to you and to our day through his sovereign will and plan for our world, just as a potter shapes a piece of clay.
Like me, you might not be all that good at shaping clay, but yet there is something you can do to give shape to our world and to the unfolding of history. You can pray! Alvin Vander Griend, reminds us of the Biblical truth that "the prayers of the saints shape history." (Love to Pray. p. 105) He tells us how history was shaped when Elijah prayed "that it would not rain," and it didn't for 3 1/2 years. (James 5:16) This led to a spiritual revival in Israel. Moses lifted up his hands in intercessory prayer in the day of battle (Exodus 17:8-13). This led to God's people finding victory over the enemy. When the early Christians prayed into the wee hours of the morning for Peter's release from prison, history was made (Acts 12:1-7). Daniel turned to the Lord God in prayer, and "pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes" for the restoration of God's people (Daniel 9:3) While he was still speaking and praying God came through with the answer that restoration would come, an answer that found its most wonderful fulfillment in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The picture is given us in Revelation 5:8 and 8:4 that around the throne of God there are golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Those prayers have been accumulating throughout the ages. And every time you pray your prayers are added to those bowls. Some times answers to our prayers come immediately. Other times God answers our prayers long after we have prayed. But God will acts on those prayers. His growing church will be gathered in, his glorious kingdom will come, his perfect will be done, and one day all things will become new. (Revelation 21:5)
As churches we understand the importance of prayer. We are committed "to call upon God for such an outpouring of his Spirit that his people will be assured of his love through his Word, seek to please the Saviour in all things, manifest the godly life and be filled with prayerful and sacrificial compassion for the lost in all the world." You look around in your life, in your neighbourhood, in our country, and throughout the world and everything might seem broken, messy, unattractive like a lump of clay. But as you pray to God your prayers are giving shape to history. Every time you pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, spiritual revival among believers, and the reaching of the lost in all of the world, your prayers are giving shape to what will happen. Giving shape to the health of your church. Giving shape to the multiplication of disciples. Giving shape to the planting of new churches. Giving shape to the raising of gospel workers. Giving shape to your neighbourhood. Giving shape to the impact of the gospel in Australia. Giving shape to God's mission throughout the world. God will take your prayers and answer them according to his promise and his purpose. And all around you will no longer see just useless lumps of clay -- but useful jars of clay containing the treasures of God (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Every time you pray you are contributing to the work of God in your life, your church, your community, and our world. Yes, you are giving shape to what happens in you and all around you. Commit yourself to faithfully and fervently pray as Jesus taught us: your Kingdom come, your will done on earth as it is heaven! Having prayed, just wait and see what God will do! Echoing the words of a song(The Potter's Hand), all of our days are held in Your hand and are being shaped into Your perfect plan.
About the author
Jack De Vries was hired on by the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia and began his work as Ministry Training Coordinator in January 2008. In 2012 this role shifted to that of Ministry Development Coach.
Jack came from Canada where he pastored three Christian Reformed churches: Alliston CRC, Alliston, Ontario(1983-87), a church plant: New Life Community Church, Pickering, Ontario(1987-95), and Bethel CRC, Listowel, Ontario (1995-2007). Jack is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity - 1983) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry - 2003) Jack and his wife Jeannie currently live in Petrie, a northern suburb of Brisbane in Queensland. They attend and are members of Bray Park Community Church. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren living in the USA and Canada.
In Isaiah 58:11 we read: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Australia has seen times of drought and floods. There is another type of drought in Australia; there is a spiritual drought. But God promises to provide refreshing rain, a never ending supply of refreshing water. The water he provides will satisfy the needs of all Australians. As we take up the missional vision God has given us we extend the life changing invitation of Jesus: "Come! Whoever is thirsty, come, and take the free gift of the water of life!" (Revelation 22:17)
