"The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Come, go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the LORD"." (Jeremiah 18:1-6a)
I am kicking myself for not taking photos of the beautiful pottery workshop in St.-Guilhem-le-Désert where we bought a little bowl to serve olives. The riot of shapes, colors, and patterns was wonderful. The potter took great care in wrapping our purchases, knowing we would be packing them for travel.
I have struggled with this passage from Jeremiah. God is the potter, and we are the clay, and God can cast and re-cast as it pleases God. Where is our free will? Clay does not have a mind of its own. It can neither accept nor ignore the attention of the potter. We can be stubborn where clay cannot. We can resist or welcome the potter's attention. So how is this word good news for us?
As I meditate on this passage, I am thinking about shelves and shelves of pottery, each created lovingly by the artisan. Cups, bowls, plates, platters, vases, jewelry, frames...each intended for a purpose. We sometimes see ourselves as "finished," or at least we hope that one day we will be. But the reality is that our whole lives, we are still clay in the potter's hand. God holds us gently, intentionally, and lovingly as we spin on the wheel of life.