Getting to Know the Potter

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Getting to Know the Potter

Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (NIV)

  When a baby is born, he does not automatically know that Bill, the man who comes over all the time, is his uncle, or that the kid, making the funny faces, while lying in his crib, is his older brother. These intimate connections are made known over a period of time by being in constant contact and communication. Before long, the baby will know that these are not just people dropping by, but are family who is in relationship with him and cares about his well-being. It is the same way with getting to know the Potter. In order to know who God is, we have to build a relationship with Him by spending time with Him. How is this done? This is done through prayer, studying, and listening for His voice. First, let’s define a potter, characteristics, and break down some of the various components, so that we can get to know the Potter. 

 What is a potter?

A potter is a craft artist who uses their skills to make various types of pottery ("What does a Potter do?," 2016). The pottery they make can consists of things such as jars, figurines, and other types of vessels. The pottery can either be functional or nonfunctional, dependent upon what the potter’s goals are for the finished product. Functional pottery is oftentimes your plates, bowls, cups, and vases that serve a purpose for their use. Pottery can also be nonfunctional, which are sculptures and other works of art that are just for display. The skills the potter learns is oftentimes perfected over the course of time through practice. A potter uses his hands to make the pottery himself, and in so doing, encounters a messy process, but the end results are pieces of uniqueness and creativity.

Who is our Potter?

God, who is our Potter, did not have to acquire any skills to make us. He has and always will be the Master Craftsman in our lives. Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." (NIV) Unlike regular potters, God did not have to go to a school or an education of higher learning to perfect His trade. He made man from the dust of the ground because He was and still is God. Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (NIV) 
God took the time to form every single cell, organ, muscle, bone and extremities that we need. As the Potter, He made sure that everything was aligned in place and functioned according to its intended use. The brain went inside the head, so that man could think. The tongue was placed inside the mouth, so that man could talk. The heart went inside the chest cavity, so that it could pump the blood needed for life. The stomach was designed to hold food, to supply man with the nutrients that he needed and the list goes on. God did not take any shortcuts with creating man. He took great care in ensuring that His vessels were fully functional and would be utilized for their Divine Purpose. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV) 

God could have spoken man into existence as He did the sun, moon, and stars. However, the Potter took the time to skillfully create man and even in the present, He is still creating human beings for His purpose. Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are. wonderful; I know that full well. (NIV)

What are some of the characteristics of the Potter?

a.) God, our Potter, is Creative and has displayed His creativity with all of creation. Potters have to be creative in order to design their vessels. Without a sense of creativity, the clay that is to be used will remain just that…a shapeless form of clay. However, God does have creativity and is the originator of it. Exodus 35:30-32 (30)Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Berallel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. (NIV) 

            After the Israelites were freed from Egypt, God desired to have a place of worship where He would dwell amongst His people. Exodus 25:8-9 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the patter I will show you.” (NIV) He gave Moses directions as to how he wanted this tabernacle to be as well as the details of the artifacts that were to go inside. Even the priestly garments that Moses’ brother, Aaron, and his two sons were to wear, were designed by God. But there is one important fact to realize from this story, God gave the craftsmen the skills that they needed in order to do the work that He had for them. Therefore, God blessed them with His Spirit of Creativity. God, the Potter, is the Author of Creativity. All of His ideas are of no one else but Himself. He never has to get a consult from anyone concerning matters that pertain to Him. God, within Himself, is the Potter who has created every living being and no one is greater than Him. Hebrews 6:13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by himself…(NIV)

b.) God, our Potter, is Knowledgeable concerning all things. A potter has to be knowledgeable in His trade. If he does not know how to be a potter, then he will not know how to create a vessel. Proverbs 2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (NIV) God is the Potter who created man’s ability to think. Spiritual knowledge and understanding come only from Him. There’s a difference between the knowledge of God and that of the enemy. 1 Corinthians 2:12-14 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in Spiritual words. (NIV) 

God’s knowledge is a blessing to all who receives it whereas, the enemy’s knowledge is corrupted by truth mixed with error just as it was in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:4-5 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (NIV)

c.) God, our Potter, is Focused on all of His children. A potter has to be focused on what he is doing in order to ensure that his vessel comes our perfect. To lose focus is to lose shape and to lose shape will have an undesirable outcome. Therefore, a potter has to pay attention to every single detail of his creation. God is the same way. Jeremiah 23:24 “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (NIV) 

God is not a person who gets easily distracted or has a loss of focus. Regardless of how many people are on the face of the planet and angelic beings in Heaven, God knows each and every thing about His creation. He is aware of what we may consider as the most irrelevant details concerning our lives because nothing gets past Him. Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows. (NIV) This means that God is focused on YOU. You can’t get lost in a crowd, or even in the Bermuda Triangle because God is so focused on you that there is no where you can go without His presence being made known. 

d.) God, our Potter, is Vision-Oriented and has our future planned. Before a potter begins to create a vessel, he has to have an idea of what he wants to create and how he wants it formed. He has to envision how his creation will look even prior to it being made. God has a vision for His children, which was from the beginning of time. Isaiah 46:10-11 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey, from a far-off land, a man to fulfill purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. (NIV) 

When God created the world, He had a vision for mankind. This vision consisted of happiness, enjoyment, peace and tranquility as well as a personal direct relationship with Him. Everything that He made was with great detail and purpose. For example, God knew that the fish would need water to swim, so He created the ocean and sea. He knew that man would need air to breath, so God created the trees and plants to put off oxygen and more. God even created a strategy for the downfall of man by having devised a plan to send Jesus to die for the sins of all. God never waits to the last minute to orchestrate anything, but He sees into the future and has a resolution for us all even before it comes into being. Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (NIV) 

e.) God, our Potter, is our Supreme Leader who always directs in the right direction. A potter has to ensure that his vessel is on course and being spun in the right direction. If the potter does not guide the vessel in the right direction, the vessel will be useless and unproductive. God is our Supreme Leaders who guides us in the right direction as well. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. (NIV) As sheep, we need a Shepherd to watch over us in order to lead us in the direction that we should go. 

Although we have earthly leaders who guide our nations, businesses, churches, and educational institutions, just to name a few, human leadership can be flawed whereas, God is our Supreme Leaders who never makes mistakes or gets corrupt. He is trustworthy, never makes promises that He will not fulfill, and His track record is impeccable. Ezekiel 34:31 You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord. (NIV)

f.) God, our Potter, is an Entrepreneur who gives gifts, talents, and abilities to do His work throughout the world. A potter designs his vessels to operate within its design. He molds and shapes each vessel with the capability to carry out its function in completeness. Because the potter is in charge of what the vessel becomes, if it does not operate properly, the potter does not go to anyone else to redesign it, but due to him being in charge, he takes care of the operation. God runs the operation of our lives, so that we may carry out the gifting for which we were created.   1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (4)There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. (5)There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. (6)There are different types of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. (8)Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (NIV)