Jars of Clay

Jars of Clay

“We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

A jar of clay is made for everyday use. It isn’t exactly beautiful. It is not the most attractive thing in the house. It is not made to stand out, or have people gasp in awe at its perfection. It is used for cooking, cleaning, carrying water. It serves its purpose, it gets the job done. The value is found on the inside, in what the jar is holding. Its value is not found in its appearance or monetary worth.

We are all jars of clay. We are little and insignificant. We have lots of flaws, chips and cracks in our veneer. But, what is inside of us is what truly matters. We hold invaluable things like love, joy, courage, hope, and most importantly faith. We know that God is doing an important work in our seemingly trivial jar. He uses us for daily use, building and creating through us and in us. We are not left on God’s “shelf”. He didn’t create us without a purpose. He created us intentionally to do what he has planned for us.

Every day God refills our jars with his holy spirit. He replenishes us with his living water. The more we pour out onto people, the more he will fill us. When you exhaust yourself helping people, or go out of your way to see someone, he will refill you. We are dry and cracked and we desire nothing more than the living water that Christ provides. When he fills us up, everything becomes possible.

We start out as a worthless lump of clay, but he is the potter. He reshapes us into a vessel that he can use. He builds us to hold more and more of his glory. The more we use our reservoir of his spirit, the bigger he will make that reservoir, so we can continuously pour out into the world.  

Don’t let your jar of clay go to waste. If you are desiring more, pray for his spirit to overflow in you. Your love and devotion aren’t reserved for special occasions, like Grandma’s china. They are to be used daily, not just a few days a year. I pray that you would wear out your jar of clay, that God would keep adding onto you, refilling your spiritual reservoirs.