Good morning people secure in God’s love

(By Jim Shaw)

The old potter stands up from his wheel with a glimmer of a smile. He has made many vessels but this one he feels, is something special. He lifts it onto the wooden shelf and closes the door of the drying cupboard. He knows he’ll have to wait a while now before he can use it but he also knows the shelf will protect it from damage while it hardens and closing it up in a darkened room will make sure it doesn’t harden too quickly.

It may seem strange that after we have felt the hands of the great Potter around us, we seem to have been put aside. Sometimes it feels like we are put on the shelf and we are drying out. Just when we feel ready for promotion in the kingdom, ready to lead the group, it seems we’re overlooked by those who should be looking over us. We don’t feel His hand and the Potter seems to have walked away. Of course God is just drying us out, allowing us to harden up so we are able to take some knocks and not lose shape.

But there is a greater reason that God hides us away in the cupboard and we are feeling hidden from sight. It enables us to realise where our life is really found. God’s word assures us that we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:2

So while we feel we are hidden, we find something else that is hidden too – our life that is in Christ! Our life is not found in ministry or a new position, or being popular or centre stage. It’s not in being a friend of the pastor, or being used each week, or feeling vitally integrated with everybody in the heart of the Church. Of course it’s good to be useful, to serve and minister in the Church, but if we don’t work out where our life is, we will get discouraged or disillusioned.

Friend, I have found that when people don’t understand this, they burn out or drop out or go to another church, and they still don’t find what they are looking for, because they are looking for life in all the wrong places. We must find our life in Him!

(Today’s BIY written by Jim Shaw)