I'm just a lump of clay and that gives me joy - Jeremiah 17-21

2012 - What could be harder to accept on a "human" level than the words in these verses: Jeremiah 18:4-6 But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.  Think about the implications and practical aspects of God's Word.   God has made us.   We are NOT our own.  We have NO rights.  We do not have CONTROL over our bodies, plans, futures, jobs, decisions.   To most non-believers that is totally offensive.   They, as well as  many believers, believe we have a FREE WILL which allows us to exercise our own choices and plot our own direction.  And, we don have a FREE WILL: However, that FREE WILL will always choose contrary to God and contrary to His purpose, unless God does something in our lives through His Word and through His Spirit.   In this passage of Scripture, however, we see that God has the RIGTH and the CONTROL to make us what HE wants.   He is the potter we are just clay.   That may be offensive to you but that doesn't diminish the truth.   I rejoice in God's sovereign control as it gives me great assurance that whatever is happening is happening for my good.  I do not need to fear things because I know the POTTER is simply working the CLAY to make the CLAY fit for the POTTER'S use.   He may choose to break me or re-shape me, but in the end whatever He does it will be good.  There should be great joy in that thought, not selfish feelings of loss of power.