Well, a few years ago, God was trying to take me into an intense, I mean INTENSE period of spiritual growth. I was resistant, however, that's why I said God was TRYING to take me through. During that time, God had me holding up signs at the intersections of the main thoroughfares where I was living at the time. YES, I was standing on the sidewalks holding up signs that read "God Loves You!" So, thousands of people had their eyes on me while they were driving to and fro, looking at me holding up a Jesus sign on the sidewalk. Yes, I hated it (more about that in another post). And I believe it was during that time that God began to show me that I was simply...a vessel. Nothing more, nothing less. A vessel to be used by Him.
Now, that's not to say that I am a nobody. I am not badmouthing myself, and putting myself down.
No.
Hear what I am saying: We as believers are the clay, Christ is the potter.
Isaiah 64:8 (ESV) But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our Potter; we are ALL the work of your hand.
Yes, we are friends of God, children of God, the bride of Christ, etc. but WE are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 ESV).
Workmanship is something CREATED, it doesn't get to make any decisions!
There are several scriptures that talk about the role of the potter and the role of the clay, and I will put them at the end of this post. Think about it in natural terms. A lump of clay does NOT tell the potter "Make me like this or that," or "I don't want to be used for this or that."
Nope. The lump of clay is silent, pliable, flexible, malleable in the hands of the One in charge of it. The potter knows exactly how that lump of clay is supposed to turn out. He knows exactly what the end result should be.
Ouch.
That's tough to swallow, ain't it? It was tough for me back then, and it still is today. Thankfully, I've grown a lot more, and I know that I am learning to be more obedient than I was those four years ago.
But you say "Well, Janelle, a lump of clay CAN'T talk back, so it makes sense that it doesn't ask the potter any questions! A lump of clay can't reason, can't think! (DUH!)" But according to the Word, we ought to be just like that lump of clay. Trusting. Just like Isaac did when his father was about to kill him in obedience to God. Just like Jesus was in the hands of his accusers. Silent. Trusting.
Back in September, I called myself trying to get myself "out there" and get on all the poppin' social media networks (I am not on social media anymore, don't want to be--that's another post too). I was trying to come up with a cool Twitter/IG handle, something not so "holy." I was gonna have a presence everywhere, and I was not gonna use no daggone "simplyavessel."
Heh.
Yeah...I was so convicted about it all, that I simply kept what God had given me. I HAD to. I oughta want people to know I'm holy, that I am a vessel, that there's nothing wrong with being young (read: nearly 30) and SAVED! God gave me a song and everything, while I was out there with my sign, tears streaming down my face, mad at God. The song is entitled...(take a guess).
Right. "Simply A Vessel" One day I'll post a vid of me singing it once I get it copyrighted, or whatever it is that you do to make sure no one else steals your original work. It's such a simple song, but the words are powerful.
So yeah, that's the long version of why my blog is named "Simply A Vessel."
With love,
Janelle
P.S.
Scriptures about clay/potter (all these scriptures are in English Standard Version)
2 Timothy 2:2-21
Jeremiah 18:1-4
Romans 9:21
Isaiah 64:8
Isaiah 45:9
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