The Potter and the Clay Jeremiah 18:1-17 NLT

 “The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as He told me and found the Potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the LORD gave me this message:

“O Israel, can I not do to you as this Potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the Potter’s hand, so are you in My hand. If I announce that a particular nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. And if I announce that I will plant and build up a particular nation or kingdom, but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey Me, I will not bless it as I said I would.

“Therefore, Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them, ‘This is what the LORD says:

I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.’”

God’s Warning Rejected

But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”

So this is what the LORD says:

“Has anyone ever heard of such a thing, even among the pagan nations? My virgin daughter, Israel, has done something terrible! Does the snow ever disappear from the mountaintops of Lebanon? Do the cold streams flowing from those distant mountains ever run dry? But My people are not so reliable, for they have deserted Me; they burn incense to worthless idols. They have stumbled off the ancient highways and walk in muddy paths. Therefore, their land will become desolate, a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will shake their heads in amazement. I will scatter My people before their enemies as the east wind scatters dust. And in all their trouble, I will turn My back on them and refuse to notice their distress.” …

Giving Up Control May Be Difficult For Us.

When we finally come to the end of ourselves, we believe we are entirely ready for God to heal us, but we still may want to control how He does it. We are so used to calling the shots that we will ask for God’s help as long as He does it on our terms. We may demand that the changes happen on our timetable or in the order we feel ready to give them up. God does not work that way. That is why humility is such an essential part of surrendering our lives to God.

God told Jeremiah to go to the Potter’s shop to learn a lesson. Jeremiah said, “I did as he told me and found the Potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay and started again. Then the LORD gave me this message: . . . ‘Can I not do to you as this Potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the Potter’s hand, so are you in My hand.”

God told Isaiah, “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot ever argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you are doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’” (Isaiah 45:9).

When we put our lives in God’s hands, He will reshape us as He sees fit. It is our humility that allows us to accept the fact that He is the Creator. Our new life may be similar to the one we left behind or entirely different. Regardless, God is the master craftsman over our lives. Whatever He does, we can trust that He will recreate our life beautifully, once we get out of His way!

The parable not only illustrates God’s sovereignty over the nation of Judah, but over our lives as well. God had power over the clay (Judah), and He would continue to work with it to make it a useful vessel. But Judah needed to repent soon, or else the clay would harden the wrong way. Then it would be worth nothing and would be broken and destroyed.

As the Potter molded or shaped a clay pot on the Potter’s wheel, defects would often appear. The Potter had power over the clay, to permit the defects to remain or to reshape the pot. Likewise, God has the power to reshape the nation to conform to His purposes.

Our strategy should not be to become mindless and passive—one aspect of clay—but to be willing and receptive to God’s impact on us. As we yield to God, he begins reshaping us into valuable vessels to be used for His purposes.

Our society admires assertiveness, independence, and sometimes even defiance of authority. In a relationship with God, these qualities become stubbornness, self-importance, and refusal to listen or change. Left unchecked, stubbornness becomes a way of life, making us hostile to God.

God gave the people of Judah the warnings they needed to avoid judgment, but they would not repent and turn from their idols. They preferred their own sinful ways to God’s ways. God’s ways are simple: His paths are straight; His burden is light. But we, at times, become stubborn, proud, and arrogant, choosing to do things our own way—a way that leads ultimately to despair and pain.

May we learn the lesson of the clay in the Potter’s hands. May we be pliable and flexible, not rigid and stubborn. May we remember we are but vessels in the hands of our maker to be used for His purpose to bring honor and glory to Him, not to ourselves.

Questions for Personal Application

1. Where in my life am I resisting God’s shaping?

2. How do I respond when God’s reshaping feels uncomfortable or painful?

3. In what ways have pride or stubbornness hardened my heart toward God’s correction?

4. What might God be asking me to “turn from” so He can begin a new work in me?

5. Am I willing to be a vessel for God’s purposes, even if it means letting go of my own plans or identity?

Prayer: In the Hands of the Potter

Father, You are the Potter, and I am the clay. Forgive me for the times I have resisted Your shaping and insisted on my own way. I confess that I often want control over how and when You work in my life, yet Your ways are higher and wiser than mine. So today, I surrender my will to You.

Crush and remake what is flawed within me, Lord. Remove the hardness of pride, stubbornness, and self-reliance that keep me from becoming who You’ve called me to be. Make me pliable in Your hands—humble, teachable, and responsive to Your Spirit.

Even when Your work feels uncomfortable, help me to trust that You are forming something beautiful and purposeful out of my life. Shape me into a vessel that brings honor to You, not to myself. May my life reflect Your craftsmanship and bring glory to Your name.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In the Hands of the Potter Jeremiah 18:1-17 NLT https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/jeremiah/18/1-17

How has experiencing significant personal loss deepened your understanding of what it means to truly live each day?

Personal loss profoundly changes us, like that of losing a loved one, losing one’s own identity, whether it be in the form of a career loss or one’s health. A personal loss transforms our understanding of life, revealing that loss strips away our external supports, forcing us to confront our deepest vulnerabilities and bringing us to the end of ourselves. As the deepening sense of loss grows, it characterizes the journey of personal loss—losing not just people, but joy, presence, and assumptions about life, while simultaneously discovering that being truly alive means accepting the reality of death. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, NIV).

Through this process, we begin searching for a life less dependent on external circumstances and more rooted in the depth of our soul, ultimately discovering a divine love that gives shape to our true being. “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19, NIV).

The experience teaches us to savor each moment fully and passionately, recognizing that we often squander our thinking by dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, thus missing the surprising moments right before us. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34, NIV). Ultimately, this journey leads to a deeper appreciation for each moment, a slower pace of living, and a more compassionate, whole understanding of ourselves and the world.

Consider the example of the Christian who discovers he or she has early-onset Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of Dementia, accounting for 60-80 percent of dementia cases. It is a progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, primarily affecting people over 65. However, it is not exclusively an age-related condition; around 5-6 percent of people develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, which can appear when individuals are in their 30s, 40s, or 50s. Women are particularly at risk, with almost two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients being female—a woman has a greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s (one in six) than breast cancer (one in eleven).

The disease is characterized by biochemical changes in the brain, including the buildup of β-amyloid protein plaques, the aggregation of tau protein leading to neurofibrillary tangles, and the degeneration of nerve endings. These changes block electrochemical signals between cells, with more degenerative areas correlating to greater disturbances in intellectual and memory function. Symptoms typically begin with short-term memory deficits and small executive functioning changes, progressively worsening to include loss of abstract meaning, attention difficulties, and eventually interfering with daily living activities. Currently the sixth leading cause of death, Alzheimer’s claims up to 500,000 lives annually, with projections suggesting the number of affected Americans could reach sixteen million by 2050.[1-5]. 

Thus, the question, “How has experiencing significant personal loss deepened your understanding of what it means to truly live each day?” The question not only applies to the loss of a loved one but also to the loss of one’s personal being. Consider the question as applied to Dementia, discovering one will lose all ability to remember they have faith in Christ for salvation, and that they will most likely die forgetting their past life of serving the Lord.

 

“How does a believer in Christ handle and accept the reality of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, knowing that he or she will forget who their loved ones are, who they are, and potentially forget that they are secure in Christ for their salvation?”

 

A believer facing Alzheimer’s, who will face a truly profound loss of their identity, can find profound comfort in God’s unwavering love and grace. Despite concerns about potentially losing faith due to Dementia, salvation and ongoing faith are the result of God’s work, not human faithfulness. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).

When a loved one’s ability to think and act is damaged, we must cling to the truth that God has called them and they belong to him. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29, NIV).

Nothing can separate the believer from God’s love. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, NIV).

And salvation is not lost when the gospel story is forgotten. In fact, salvation rests in God’s memory, not in our own forgetful minds. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV). Even as declarative memory fails, nondeclarative memory remains, allowing patients to engage in familiar spiritual practices. 

The experience of being a person relies on relationships sustained by the memory of others and of God. Moreover, God’s grace is evident in how the Holy Spirit intercedes, praying with “wordless groans” when we cannot. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26, NIV). Even when disease has severely damaged the brain, God continues to search and know our hearts, responding with prayers on our behalf. “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. ... Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:1-4, 23-24, NIV).

Ultimately, believers can be freed from the fear of Alzheimer’s, knowing they will spend eternity in heaven with perfect memories. “Then I saw ’a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’” (Revelation 21:1-4, NIV).[6-9]. 

One truth remains for the loved ones of the one who will suffer the profound loss of who they are: to pray for them. “Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16, NIV). As a family watches the decline of their parent, spouse, or friend, the one observing must remain thankful for the opportunity to minister Christ’s love to them in such a way that only the Love of God working in and through them could be. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).

It is difficult at best watching our loved ones suffer ill health, but dying is part of living, and as profound as loss can be, eternal life is infinitely more rewarding and a gift that all believers have received and will enjoy when this life of suffering has come to its fruition. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, NIV).                   

[1] Umesiri, Francis E. 2016. Fasting for Life: Medical Proof Fasting Reduces Risk of Heart Disease, Cancer, and Diabetes. Lake Mary, FL: Siloam.

[2] Mooney, Sharon F. 2013. Alzheimer’s: Caring for Your Loved One, Caring for Yourself. Oxford, England: Lion Books.

[3] Hope for the Heart. 2024. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Doing What’s Best for Your Brain. Keys for Living Library: Counseling and Coaching. Hope for the Heart.

[4] Smith, Robert. 1982. “Alzheimer’s Disease.” Edited by Jay E. Adams. The Journal of Pastoral Practice 6, no. 1: 45.

[5] Reichenberg, Lourie W., and Linda Seligman. 2016. Selecting Effective Treatments: A Comprehensive Systematic Guide to Treating Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

[6] Mast, Benjamin T., and Scotty Smith. 2014. Second Forgetting: Remembering the Power of the Gospel during Alzheimer’s Disease. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[7] Hodges, Charles D., Jr, ed. n.d. The Christian Counselor’s Medical Desk Reference. 2nd edition.

[8] Tellinghuisen, Donald J., and Paul Moes. 2023. Exploring Psychology and Christian Faith: An Introductory Guide. Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group.

[9] Davis, Andrew M. 2021. The Glory Now Revealed: What We’ll Discover about God in Heaven. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.

Question: If personal fulfillment does not come from religious belief, then where should individuals seek profound meaning and purpose in their lives?

The search for meaning, regardless of how profound one deems that meaning to be, is influenced by the multitude of philosophical perspectives that arise from living in a pluralistic society. The comment that truth is relative describes the point. However, the definition of relativity applied to truth cannot withstand the rigors of philosophical standards when confronted with Socratic logical thinking. Thus, using the book of Ecclesiastes for this response will help any sincere truth seeker find a place to begin their search for meaning.

One point that needs addressing is the definition of religious belief. Because the nature of religion differs across various cultures, a common understanding of religion necessitates a shared and agreed-upon definition of the word. Thus, in this perspective, religion means the following. 

“Religion is a comprehensive system of belief and worship that involves a community expressing shared beliefs through myths, doctrines, ethical teachings, rituals, and exceptional experiences. It fundamentally involves belief in and reverence for a supernatural power recognized as the Creator and ruler of the universe, typically organized with specific doctrines, behavioral patterns, and forms of worship. A religious belief comprehensively includes understanding God’s existence, recognizing divine revelation, acknowledging human obligation to divine commands, believing in reward and punishment, and practicing moral duties. Importantly, true religion is not just about theological principles, but also about practical piety and moral conduct. A religious person’s character is one of faithful devotion to a deity, adherence to religious observances, and conscientious faithfulness. Notably, as illustrated in the New Testament, genuine religious faith is inseparable from actions; thus, faith without deeds one could consider another’s religion lifeless.”[1-4]

However, one point must come to light: evil and the behaviors of works of the flesh, as described in Ephesians and Galatians, have come to have such an ungodly influence in the lives of many that those who practice the works of the flesh have allowed themselves to succumb to the delusion that they are following a religion. Debauchery, hedonism, and the like all describe those who have chosen to follow the works of the flesh and make the lust of the flesh their religion. 

The Biblical Definition of The Above Is As Follows

 

We Are To Be Doers—Not Hearers Only

“Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:21-27 (NKJV).

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” Matthew 25:35-40 (NKJV). 

Where Individuals Seek Meaning and Purpose In Their Lives!

 

Secular approaches suggest that purpose is something individuals must decide and achieve entirely on their own. 

Ecclesiastes counters this autonomy by asserting that purpose emerges from divine appointment amid life’s vanities. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, it declares, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,” underscoring that human endeavors find meaning only within God’s ordained rhythms, not self-imposed designs. 

Humanist perspectives argue that meaning is not discovered externally but created by individuals, who find fulfillment through their own actions and by helping others. 

The text of Ecclesiastes reveals that true fulfillment arises from receiving and stewarding God’s gifts, rather than attempting to fabricate meaning through effort. Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 states, “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This, too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” Thus, actions gain purpose as responses to divine provision. 

Without a divine framework, however, life can appear meaningless; humans are merely an evolutionary accident destined for inevitable extinction, which can lead to a profound sense of hopelessness. 

Ecclesiastes confronts this apparent futility head-on, affirming inherent value through the Creator’s eternal imprint. Ecclesiastes 3:11 observes, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end,” offering hope against extinction by rooting existence in God’s timeless beauty and mystery. 

Atheist philosophers are divided, with some suggesting that meaning can be found through individual choice, while others emphasize the existential angst of facing life’s ultimate meaninglessness. 

Ecclesiastes unifies this tension by directing beyond choice to reverent submission, transcending angst through God-centered living. Ecclesiastes 12:13 concludes, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind,” resolving division by establishing obedience as the antidote to vanity’s despair. 

Some secular approaches define self-fulfillment through pursuing personal peace (avoiding personal disturbance) and increasing material affluence. 

Ecclesiastes critiques such pursuits as illusory, advocating contentment in God’s sustenance over accumulation. In Ecclesiastes 5:18-19, it advises, “This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink, and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and honor... this too is from the hand of God,” prioritizing divine-granted peace. 

In contrast, a biblical perspective offers an alternative: finding purpose through a relationship with a personal God, where life’s meaning comes from understanding one’s created identity and divine calling, which can transform existence into a dynamic, inspirational enterprise. 

Ecclesiastes embodies this relational dynamic by urging enjoyment of life as communion with the Creator, infusing vanity with purpose. Ecclesiastes 9:7 exhorts, “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do,” portraying existence as an engaging response to God’s approving presence and eternal judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14). 

[1] Partridge, Christopher, and Tim Dowley, eds. 2013. Introduction to World Religions. Second Edition. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

[2] Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, Thomas Nelson Publishers, eds. 1995. In Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

[3] Webster, Noah. 2006. In Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education.

[4] Merriam-Webster, Inc. 2003. In Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary., Eleventh ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc.