Seen, Held, Loved - & Made For More

 

There’s not really a perfect picture in my portfolio to go with today’s post; what there is though is the longing we all have to be seen, held and loved. I’m sure most of us can close our eyes and picture ourselves in that safe, secure place. Think with me now, that this is the condition the world began in. God’s perfect creation and design; to be close to us, to know us intimately, to be all we would ever long for. 

Then, into the world crept the miserably cruel sin factor. God had a plan though. He always does. He had given mankind “choice” from the beginning of time; but what if we would choose to surrender and yield to His plan and purpose for more? 

I posted not long ago concerning being on the Potter’s wheel and how it has always captivated me. I love the imagery of a lump of clay being transformed into a beautiful piece of pottery.

However, the clay must go through some stuff before it can be a beautiful piece of pottery.

We naturally desire God to take all the hard stuff out of our lives. 

I’m sure the Hebrew boys wanted to skip the furnace, that Naomi would have preferred never to have left her homeland in the first place, and that Joseph might have wished at some point that he had never shared his dreams. We’ve all had something we’d like to undo or skip completely, but God would rather use these moments to teach us deep truths which will carry us through any moment. 

The process of becoming isn’t without pressure and painful moments.  

When clay is kneaded, pressure is applied; kind of like when we face pressure in life. Pressures begin preparing us for wheel time as we realize our need to allow the Potter to change certain things within us.

 

When we’re slapped in the face by hardship, disappointment and such, it hurts. We want to avoid pain at all cost most of the time, don’t we? Who likes it? Anyone out there who raised your hand? You see, clay must be slapped onto the wheel in order to create a seal which will keep it there and ready for the Potter’s touch. Yes, the hardships are painful, but necessary. They don’t have to be totally negative experiences...for in the hands of the Potter. 

When we’re finally on the wheel, like a lump of clay, we must be centered so the Potter can apply even pressure to all sides. This keeps the vessel He intends to make from crushing. The mere force of the wheel will cause anything not completely centered to be destroyed or flung from its position during the process. 

One thing I’ve learned on the wheel is that I’m seen. 

God sees me right where I am, what I’ve experienced and what plan and purpose He has for me and how to use each experience for my betterment. Nothing catches Him by surprise. That’s good news for me and you. 

After the clay is on the wheel and centered, it then must be opened up. 

You know, sometimes I find that my heart has become so closed up and has so much scar tissue from past hurts that it takes the Lord pushing and prodding me until I’m finally willing to give my will up for His. This is a cleaning up of the very center of me - my heart. As I yield completely and He begins the process of opening up, I am closer to becoming the vessel He has in mind. 

I don’t know about you, but ugly situations also cause me to build up my own kind of walls in an effort to protect myself. Remember I mentioned we none like pain? Yet, when the Potter pulls walls up, it’s totally different than my construction. 

He takes the clay (me) and begins to shape me within His gentle hands. Have you ever watched a piece of pottery begin to grow taller and taller on the wheel? It’s almost magical to watch but requires the  steady and sure hand of the potter to pull it up. 

God knows just the right thickness and how much we can be pulled at each given moment. I’ve come to recognize a beautiful thing during my wheel times.  

When I feel I am being stretched beyond my limits, I’m held. 

I can be confident that I’m safe, no matter what, because He always holds me. On my darkest nights when there seems to be no hope, I am held. Life threatens to overwhelm us, break us down or leave us scattered on the floor in a million broken pieces. While we sometimes do feel like this is going to happen, those gentle hands are holding us together all the time. What an assurance we have and an ongoing invitation to rest in knowing that. 

After the clay reaches the determined height to fulfill its purpose, it is collared. 

Ever feel like the life is being choked out of you? Yeah? Me too! I thought about how the Lord invites us in His Word to take His yoke upon us. (Matthew 11:28-30) He invites those who are weary and heavy laden to be collared. It’s a good thing though, being yoked with God is easy. I don’t know about you but sometimes I become weary in the heat of the battle and want to throw up the white flag. 

I begin to welcome my time on the wheel - I’m loved. 

Collaring prepares the vessel to be filled, not just to set there pretty. You’re not being choked out, you’re being prepared to pour out of. Is anybody out there as excited as I am about this process? 

**Praise break moment**

God desires to fill us up so we can pour out - I’m made for more. 

Indeed, when we learn from our time on the wheel, we are changed and there are opportunities to share those experiences with others. We can boldly testify of how we should’ve fallen to pieces, we should have been thrown into the Potter’s field and forgotten, but instead we were seen, held, loved - and made for more. 

There is so much more to share, but I want to simply remind each of us today that when we face hard times, it can be part of a bigger plan - if we’ll only be willing to humble ourselves in the hands of the Potter. 

This lifetime and everything that happens in it is just about preparing us, molding us, making us, and readying us to be poured out...for His glory. 

It doesn’t come easy, but through time and trusting the Potter we can get there. Our deepest desires are fulfilled while on the His wheel. That’s a choice I want to make every time! Give me my wheel time, in His hands, for His purpose to be brought to light in my life. 

What about you? 

Rest, in whatever the circumstance may be, knowing we are seen, held, loved beyond your wildest dreams - and made for more.