He Made It Again

“And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.” Jer. 18:4

I knew and loved this verse, yet I began to understand it a little more as I sat sewing one day. Being a quilter, I cannot bear to throw my old dresses out. I wear them until they are worn, frayed, mended and coming apart, but there is still useful material there, especially in the skirt. There is always usable material left though the dress is of no use in and of itself. So, I took one of my worthless dresses and made a smocked dress out of the skirt. I made it again into something useful and more beautiful than the original. Is that not what Christ does? We are worn and ugly, in the way and of no use. Then the Great Potter comes and makes us again into something lovely and useful to Him. Is it not wonderful to think of how he humbles himself to work with such clay!? He takes away the unusable material about us and makes us again, as it seems good to him. Resent not his cutting—I cut away the unneeded scraps, the worn, mended, patched pieces in order to make a new dress—just thank God that he chose to use and remake you, an unworthy vessel of mercy.