The Potter's Desire for RESTORATION

The Potter’s Desire for RESTORATION

Jeremiah 18:4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. (NIV)

          During the time of the Israelite’s enslavement, at the hands of the Egyptians, they were as a nation without hope. They had been in slavery for four-hundred years just as God had foretold to Abraham. Everything they did, everywhere they went, whatever they owned was subjected to the authority of the Egyptians who were a cruel and brutal people. The Israelites were a nation who were despised and broken just because of who they were by birth.

They probably felt as if God didn’t care, that He had abandoned them, and that their circumstances would be impossible to change. Nevertheless, nothing could be further from the truth. Despite their seemingly hopeless situation, God had not forgotten them. Acts 7:5-7  ⁽⁵⁾“He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at the time Abraham had no child. ⁽⁶⁾God spoke to him in this way: ‘You descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. ⁽⁷⁾But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.” (NIV) Notwithstanding the many years that the Israelites had been enslaved, God already had a plan to restore them unto Himself as His chosen people. He raised up Moses and told him to tell the Israelites when they asked, “Who sent you?” to say, “I AM that I AM sent me.”

We often look at our lives and past mistakes as if we are too far gone for the Potter to be able to restore us. We can find everything that is wrong with us and declare that there is no hope. The truth of the matter is that the Potter is not surprised by what we consider to be “failures” in life. He sees the end from the beginning; therefore, nothing catches Him off guard in regards to what we do. Nevertheless, if we will submit our will to His then the Potter can restore us to be the vessel that He has ordained us to be. 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; form a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. (NIV)

Yes, the Potter is never surprised by our downfalls in life, but this is why He sent his Son Jesus to save us from the pitfalls that we were bound to stumble upon. Just as clay has to bend to the desires of its potter, we are the clay that has to bend to the will of our Potter. Restoration comes when we fully summit to God and allow Him to have complete control over our lives. Romans 8:28-29 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (NIV) The Potter’s restoration process also means that He is forming us to be like Jesus. We will think, act, feel, see, and have a taste for the things that are holy just as Jesus does. We will lose the desire for the things of the world and our focus will be on Christ.

Restoration does not mean that one will never be tempted to do wrong. Even Jesus was tempted by the enemy, but He overcame him with the power of the WORD. The enemy could not combat the Word of God. Therefore, he had to leave at Jesus’ command. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (NIV)

Restoration in God signifies that I am not what I used to be. I am no longer held captive to the sins that once held me bound. I do not have to be ashamed of my past, but I look forward to the future with God. My previous mistakes do not define me because I am a new creature in Christ. I will no longer allow the enemy to throw up my failures, but embrace that I am now a new creature in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

            The Potter restores and reconciles us back to having a close relationship with Him. You may say that, “I’ve never had a relationship with God,” and that may be true indeed, but He has always had one with you. You just weren’t aware of it because the enemy did all that he could to keep you from hearing and responding to the Potter’s voice, so that he could keep you separated. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (NIV)

Notice that the above text says that God does not hold our sins against us. That’s right! When we allow Him to restore and be reconciled back to Him, He no longer keeps record of the wrongs that we once did. He lets them go – never to be remembered no more. Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (NIV) If the Potter can forgive our sins then so can you. Embrace the restoration that the Potter is offering you, so that you can be your best for Him. In order to fully do so, there are some things that one may be hanging on to that needs to be let go of, repent, and then the restoration can fully take place. Let’s go over some of those things. If you see that one may suit you, then here’s help to guild you along the way, but remember, this is for YOU to be fully restored back to the Potter. Be honest with yourself and then God can help you be a New YOU.

JOIN US TOMORROW AS WE GO FURTHER INTO THE RESTORATION PROCESS.