The Potter & The Clay

I hope that the image of Ron DiCianni’s painting The Clay that was posted yesterday stirred your heart as much as it has mine since the first time I saw it several years ago.  Since then, it has become the image in my mind when I think of submitting to the Father.

You turn things around!  Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? – Isaiah 29:16 NASB

Can you say it with me?  OUCH!  These words spoken to the people of Israel through Isaiah can make you stop short (Grab your Bible and read Isaiah chapter 29 for context)!  In essence, God is saying, “You’ve got things wrong!  You, the created, are telling Me, the Creator that I do not understand you?  Or that you are equal with Me?”

On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? – Romans 9:20-21 NASB

Paul is challenging the Romans in this passage about questioning God’s sovereignty.

It sounds so very foolish, doesn’t it?

Yet we do this so often, thinking we have the right to question God or to dismiss Him as some remote, uninvolved, dense deity that cannot possibly help us in our situation.  Not convinced?  Have you ever done or thought the following:

• God, You can’t possibly know what I am going through!
• There is no way this situation can turn around!
• I hate my (insert body part or personality trait here)!
• I’ll do what I please, thank you very much!
• What did I do to deserve this?
• God, You can’t possibly expect me to do ____________!  There is no way!
• Why was I even born?

Do any of those hit home?  Questioning God or demoting Him to water boy in our game of life is so backwards!  If you were to sew a quilt, would it have the right to question why you put this pattern next to that pattern?  Or question the weight of batting used to fill it?  Or question the use for which you made it?

Let me encourage you to resign from the position of the Potter and accept the position of the clay.

Neither you nor I are qualified in the slightest for that job.  And really, do we want that responsibility?  Do we really want to stand before God and present to Him what we have accomplished with ourselves or with the decisions we have made without consulting Him and expect Him to be pleased?

The One who created you knows best.  Let Him mold you into the vessel He desires.  Then you will stand before Him in the beauty of His grace with the marks of His hands on your life.

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Wordless Wednesday – The Clay

The Clay by Ron DiCianni
© 2009.  Image used by Permission
www.TapestryProductions.com

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Grace Notes from God

Women By Grace is honored to be part of Joan C. Webb’s Wonderful (Imperfect) Blog Tour. The tour celebrates the launch of her book of devotional readings for women who feel like they have to be perfect all the time.

Here’s a devotion chosen from the book just for our readers!

Grace Notes

Mark 11:25: If you hold anything against anyone, forgive him.

For years I put myself in an impossible position trying to be perfect all the time. I silently shamed myself; expected too much; crushed creativity; robbed myself of nourishment, fun, sleep, and relaxation; while trying to please others and do everything just right. I let anger turn to resentment, stuffed it down and became depressed. I wronged myself, others and God in the process.

One morning during my recovery from burnout I realized that the one person I most needed to forgive was myself. I wrote in my journal: I’ve harmed you, Joan. I’m sorry. I’ll try to be kinder and more forgiving now. It’s okay for you to nurture yourself and become the person God designed you to be. God wants us to have compassionate hearts toward all people, ourselves included.

Last night while editing these two above paragraphs, I thought: There’s something more here. I tried to find it. Browsing through books, commentaries, my notes, the Bible, it eluded me, so I went to bed. This morning I looked at the clock. 7:30 am. I did it again! For two weeks I’ve overslept until 7:00 or 7:30 am, when usually I’m up around 5:30. And all week I’ve been asking, What’s wrong with you, Joan?

This morning God whispered, “Grace!” Really? “Like musical ‘grace notes’[i], Joan. They’re the lovely extra sounds of an ordinary song. Nothing’s wrong. Just enjoy the added-on rest.”

Forgiving relief: the grace notes of God. Enjoy!

Lord, I’m just so grateful.

Making It Personal: This week look for God’s grace notes to you.

About Joan

Joan C. Webb, a recovering workaholic and perfectionist, communicates a message of freedom and renewal. As a personal life coach, lifeplan facilitator, and speaker/Bible communicator she longs to help others gain clarity and move past their obstacles. Joan, author or co-author of eleven books including The Intentional Woman, The Relief of Imperfection, and It’s a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life, wrote study notes for the Women of Faith Study Bible. Her husband, Richard, and she live in Chandler, Arizona, near their two married children and seven grandchildren. www.joancwebb.com

My Reaction

I have to admit that I am NOT struggling with a perfectionist attitude – in fact, I hate fussing with details!  I do sometimes expect others to be perfect – and I’ll be looking for God’s Grace Notes about other people

Enjoy the Rest of the Blog Tour!

You can find all of the stops on Joan’s Wonderful (Imperfect) Blog Tour here.

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Is There Enough Mercy?

There is a song on a Selah CD that I reviewed several weeks ago titled “Depth of Mercy” which is a variation of the old hymn by Charles Wesley that has struck my heart over the last few days.  There are so many areas in my life that I fail in DAILY.  And I mourn those failures at the end of every day.

When I say “failures”, I should call them what they really are – “sins”.

We don’t hear this word very often today, even in churches.  This is something to mourn over in itself since the whole concept of the gospel is built on our need for a Savior because of our separation from God because of sin.  But the recognition of my daily sins continually renews my realization that I need a Savior, the only Savior, Jesus Christ.  And I am so thankful that His shed blood covers my sin. (Find out more about Jesus as Savior & the Gospel!)

How could there be enough?

⁴But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, – Titus 3:4-6

Is there enough mercy for me?  Is there enough to cover the sins I have committed today?  The sins I will commit tomorrow and next year?  Or my entire life?  If you have read the book of Psalm, you continually see David cry out for mercy.  It wasn’t a one time cry.  My favorite passage about God’s mercy is from Psalm 51.  In this Psalm, David has finally looked his sin square in the face and taken ownership of it and cries out to God:

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  ² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! ³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. - Psalm 51:1-3

God’s mercy is abundant!

Praise God for that!!  I’m sure I will use a good portion of it!  How about you?

Depth of Mercy by Selah

Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

Heaven find me on my knees
Hear my soul’s impassioned plea
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Deeply my revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Heaven find me on my knees
Hear my soul’s impassioned plea
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me

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Favorite Gifts for a Friend (or Yourself!)

In case your head is still spinning from back-to-school and Halloween, here’s a little wake up call:  It’s only 52 DAYS until Christmas!!  But don’t panic!  Your trusty life coach (or personal shopper – take your pick!) is here to help you!

I highly recommend you check out Online Christmas List.  This is a resource that you, your friends and other family members can use to keep track of and share Christmas lists!  And you can access it while you are out shopping (if you have that capability on your cell phone of course) or you can print out the list(s).  It’s free so get on there and make your lists!

OK, now that you have the list dilemma conquered, here are some great ideas for gifts for your friends or even yourself (’tis the season to give – no rule saying you can’t give to yourself now and then!)  (Disclaimer:  No compensation is received for recommending these to you, nor if you purchase them! These are simply gifts I have come across online that I know I would love to receive or that I think my friends would love to get!)

By Grace Alone Necklace by Lisa Leonard

Redeemed Necklace by Lisa Leonard

Handpainted Porcelain Personalized Ornament

Autumn Breeze Artwork

Custom Canvas Photo Prints from ArtsCow

Chaos…Simplified Planner

Faith Handbag

Prayer Journal

I hope that this short list has given you some ideas of how to bless your friends this Christmas!  If you have a great gift idea to share, please post a comment!

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Sunday Worship: Before the Throne of God Above

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Smiley Saturday: Heart Smiles

I define a heart smile as that strange little twist you feel in your heart and the beginning of tears in the eyes when you witness something so precious to you.  And of course, heart smiles almost always spread to your face!

Here is a list of things that give me heart smiles:

1.  Eskimo kisses from my Little Man without be asked.

2.  Little Man saying excitedly ” ‘mon, Mommy!  ‘mon!”  as in “Come on, Mommy!” because he is so excited to show me something.

3.  An elderly couple holding hands

4.  Hearing that a friend or client has done something that they have always wanted to do but have been hesitant to try.

5.  The look on the face of a groom as he sees his bride for the first time as she comes down the aisle.

6.  The special bond between a dad and his daughter.

What are some things that give you heart smiles?

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Resources for Moms of Toddlers

I am on a Mommy Mission to find great Christian resources that help me entertain and educate my toddler.  I am sure that I am not the only one that desires to engage my Little Man’s brain and stimulate creativity and learning without having to recreate the wheel.   I am not one that wants to start “formally” educating my son just yet but I do want to interest him in learning in a fun way and not in front of the TV set.  These sites provide endless possibilities that you can simply print out and use.  So I wanted to share a list of great sites that I have come across that have truly made me believe that I can achieve this mission!  If you choose to accept this mission, join me!

Totally Tots – My favorite site!  I even purchased the Songs for Saplings CD that sets Scripture verses to song.  My 2 1/2 year-old loves it and can sing several of them already!  He’ll even cry out “again! again!” on his favorites!

Tot School – Just discovered this today and I am in complete awe at the work that this mom has done and is offering on her site for free!  I know that I will be visiting this site again and again!  In fact, I wish I could take the rest of the afternoon and print, organize and plan for the next few weeks!

No Time for Flash Cards – Great and simple ideas for crafts and games!  Love this site!

Bible Crafts -  Enough said!  If you are focusing on a certain Bible story, this site can provide corresponding activities to reinforce what they are learning!

DLTK’s Crafts for Kids – I love these ideas and they are very easy to go through and pick what you need for your child’s learning level.

If you have some favorite toddler sites, please share with me!

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In Case You Missed It…

I wanted to re-share this post from earlier in the month.  I pray God uses it to speak to your heart like He did mine!

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Wordless Wednesday: Guidance

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