Thoughts for the Day

Woe to you who strive with your Maker,
earthen vessels with the potter!
Does the clay say to the one who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’
or ‘Your work has no handles’?....

Thus says the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:
Will you question me about my children,
or command me concerning the work of my hands?
I made the earth,
and created humankind upon it;
it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
and I commanded all their host.

I have aroused Cyrus in righteousness,
and I will make all his paths straight;
he shall build my city
and set my exiles free,
not for price or reward,
says the Lord of hosts.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Have you ever made a clay pot or bowl? When I have tried it, all goes really well at first. The lump of clay adheres to the base, I place my fingers inside it as the wheel turns, and it begins hollow out, growing larger with each turn. I begin to feel hopeful. I'm going to produce a wonderful bowl. Then all of a sudden it goes sideways and falls on itself, and is a floppy lump of clay once more! "That's it," I think, "never again!"

Isaiah uses the image of the pot of clay to remind the Israelites that it's as ridiculous to complain to God about His plans, as the bowl complaining to me that I had made a mess! What are the people moaning about? Well we're back in time to the 530's BCE, and God plans to use Cyrus the King of Persia to fulfill His purposes. For this pagan king will produce an edict allowing the Jews to return to rebuild Jerusalem. Isaiah uses language that is almost loving of Cyrus as God calls him "my shepherd". But many Israelites in Babylon were to complain at His actions.

Today, we too are liable to complain to God as He continues to build His new creation. If God plans to enlarge His creation from other nations that have different cultural patterns, as had Cyrus, then who are we to disagree. Or if God's Church, after prayer and serious consideration changes some of its rules (as it did with the ordination of women, and the remarriage of divorcees) then who are we to disagree?

Lord God,
You know us intimately -
the times when we are quick to praise You,
and the times we are just as quick to blame You.
But who are we to complain to the 'potter';
who are we to blame our Creator?
You call us to move forward,
to grow closer to You
and learn more about You.
Help us to see that Your plans are
so much bigger than anything
we can imagine,
and that we should learn to
trust You completely.
Amen.