Isaiah 64:8

Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

This image, of God as the potter and us as the clay, is one that has often helped me puzzle through why difficult things have happened in my life.  It helps me to understand that God, in his infinite wisdom and love, is carefully shaping us and molding us into the person that he wants us to be.  Our lives are held within his loving hands, and he is guiding us ever closer to becoming more like him.  If we allow it, he can use our life experiences to help us grow in strength and wisdom.  His gentle hands guide us through both the joyful and the difficult circumstances in life, in a way that helps us to develop into the beautiful vessels that he has designed.  Vessels that were designed to hold God’s love and peace which we can pour out to his people in bountiful ways. 

The Potter and the Clay
By Krista Longeway

You are the potter and we are the clay,
You mold and shape us throughout every day.
You guide and form us with your gentle hand,
Into a strong vessel that can withstand,
The everyday wear and tear of life. 
You use all of the struggles and the strife,
You use the good and joyful moments too,
To turn us into someone more like you.
You are the potter and we are the clay,
You mold and shape us throughout every day.