The Power of the Potter

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

It is written: “And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee... But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (Is. 64:7,8) These passages reveal that for one to believe man is in complete control of his own life and destiny is a mistaken assumption. He who has the absolute power to create from Himself has also absolute power over that which He has created. The clay does not dictate to the Potter what He shall form of the clay. The Potter creates what, when, and how He pleases. The clay does not call upon the Potter to demand of Him the creative act, nor does he stir himself up and put himself into the Potter’s hands. He is a dead lump of clay and remains so unless the Potter out of His own purpose chooses to change the fact. The clay cannot act or create his own self; he is at the mercy of the Potter. The Potter quickens at His will.

God declared: “Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand...” (Jer. 18:6) Man is unconditionally captivated to the sovereign intent of his Maker. The Potter, and only the Potter, is the decision maker of the grace of His hands. Does man choose to come into this world? Does he choose the date, his parents, his color, his gender, his nationality, or anything else? What does man have to do with his fleshly birth? Absolutely nothing! If he has no power in the fleshly birth, why should he presume he has power in the spiritual?

Apostle Paul asked: “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Rom. 9:21) Who possesses the power, the clay, or the potter? The Creator has the exclusive power to create as it pleases Him. Who has the right and the power to bring into question the divine purposes of his Creator? None! God is God, and He will do as He wills to do. Within His own power the Potter makes vessels of honour and vessels of dishonor that in the ages to come “he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.” (Rom. 9:23,24) As lumps of dead clay, we can but humbly declare of our preparation to glory - Grace, Grace, all of His Power and Grace! Grace and mercy belongs to the Potter.