Jeremiah 18:1-4 NIV This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 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.
Someday - one day - tomorrow - all words that hold the future. Many times have I used these words to dream of something different or better. I had a variety of dreams when I was growing up. I wanted to be a marine like my dad, and a veterinarian and eventually an accountant. By the time I reached the accountant dream I was determined to be rich and have a house with a maid and people to take care of me. Needless to say after two courses in accounting my dream changed directions.
Life has a way of shifting our dreams and changing them over time. I think we all dream of the life that leads to easy street and living happily ever after. After what? After we graduate high school, or college or grad school or doctoral school? After we marry and have kids? After we retire, or the kids leave home? When is after? When do we live happily ever after?
Personally I've learned that the more I try to shape my own pot by planning each phase of my life and coloring it with the right glaze or paint the more my pot seems to shift and break. There is a plan for our lives. One that is perfectly in tune with who we are and who we are created to be. The funny thing is I don't believe it's just a perfect straight line to the finish if we cling to God. Over time it's become apparent that we were given the gift of making choices. We choose daily what our next step will be. God wants us to choose Him first. If we make Him our first choice then the other choices are easier. Looking past the moment and seeing the choices in the light of eternity leads to happily ever after. My ever after is an eternity with the one who created me. The one who shapes each facet of my personality and my being. When I seek Him first above all else then He turns the wheel to make me into His image.
Creating a pot is not easy. Any small deformity or weakness will cause it to fracture when it faces the fire. Just as creating our future is beyond our ability. We can't see the weaknesses or deformities that will fracture our lives and spin us out of control. We can only see the moment and when we try to plan the future we get frustrated when that flaw has to be fixed or even worse squished back into a lump to start over. If we learn to trust the plan that God has for us and see that each reshaping or removing or breaking piece is part of shaping us into the pot that will dwell with Him for eternity then our happily ever after begins today. Ever after begins the moment we realize that God is enough. He is all we really need. No plan or dream or future goal will ever measure up to God - when we recognize that then everything else becomes the gravy or happily part we are searching for. He loves to give good blessings to His children but we have to seek Him first. Trust Him with your happily ever after and the struggles will just be part of the plan.
Jeremiah 29:11-12 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
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