God’s Hands

“Yet, O LORD, you are our father.
We are the clay; you are the potter;
We are all the work of your hand.”   Isaiah 64:8  NIV 

I took a pottery class many years ago.  I remember learning how to knead, push and even slam the clay to get out all the air bubbles before beginning a piece of pottery.  Then I had to learn how to center the clay on the wheel.  If it was not centered properly then the clay would spin out of shape as I kicked the wheel to create the spinning motion that was needed to produce a vessel.  I learned the processes and created many bowls.  I gave them away to friends and family and kept only one bowl.

I often think of God as the potter and me as the piece of clay.  Sometimes I do feel kneaded and even slammed around to get the sins out of my soul.  At other times, I feel in complete balance and trust that God’s hands are on me. When I focus on that feeling and the image of God’s hands shaping me, I feel so blessed and loved.

At this time of Lent and preparation to celebrate Easter, let us all be more aware of how God’s hands shape our lives and our very souls.

Jill Gardner