Hi everyone, Its aunt Fernita
Today's story is called "Jars of Clay"
The memory verse is from Isaiah chapter 64 verse 8
it says "Oh lord, we are the clay and you are the potter we are all the work of your hand"
Today's message is God holds me in his hands and molds me
Sammy loved to make things from clay or play dough
It was very soft and it felt so good
He made animals, buildings, cars, people and cups
The clay in Sammy's hands became whatever Sammy wanted
A man in the bible enjoyed working with clay too
Perhaps it happened like this,
Lifting the corner of a wet cloth,
The skilled artist cut a slab of clay from the large lump
He slapped it down on the potters wheel and sat down
He pulled his robe up to his knees
Then slowly, he began to turn his wheel and form the clay
Underneath the potters hands, the clay seemed to take on a life of its own
Once flat, it now had a hollow center and smooth pale sides
The potter dipped his hands in a basin of water and returned to his work
Almost lovingly his hands put pressure
And the shape responded instantly
Round it sides began to narrow to form a long neck
a lip was form in the front
Then the potters wheel slowed and came to a stop
The potter braided some smooth pieces of clay together
He fastened them firmly unto one side of the pot to make a handle
with a happy smile
He slid his creation off the wheel
Setting it carefully on the drying shelf
What was once a slab of clay
Had become a beautiful clay pitcher
The potter looked out at the busy street
Customers stood nearby watching him work
Some bought clay pots for water or for flowers
But the potter kept working
His fresh batch of clay wouldn't last long
He cut another slab from the batch
As he had done before, he slapped it unto his potters wheel
Round and round and up and down
As the sides of a water pot rose from his hands
His attention was drawn to man watching him
The potter looked up and smiled
but in that instant, the sides of the pot fell into the center
and the spinning wheel came to a stop
"oh I'm so sorry!"the man said as his hand flew to his mouth
The potter waved his hands in the air "Think nothing of it," he said " i will fix it in no time"
The man introduced himself, "My name is Jeremiah"
"i was sent here by God to watch you work"
The potter seemed interested
"The beauty of clay," he said
"Is that if it is too thin in one spot,"
"Or if i find mistakes as i go along"
"I just pinch out the problem or pat down the lump and start over"
"Sometimes that makes it even stronger than it was before"
"I always try to make the clay into what it seems best for"
"So mistakes can be fixed?" Jeremiah suggested
"Thats right. i can shape and reshape the clay until it's just what it should be"
"And when i am happy with it, others will find it beautiful and useful too"
Jeremiah nodded
"Your work is beautiful" He said
He stood and watched the potter a little longer
Than he admired the objects on display once more
There were small oil lamps for a bedroom
Pitchers of all sizes for cream, milk or water
Huge pots for storing olives or grain or for cooling water
Everything was made from the same material by the same creator
Yet each was a little different, each one had a special purpose
This was the lesson God wanted Jeremiah to learn
That is why he sent Jeremiah to watch the potter at work
Now Jeremiah could explain how God shapes each persons life
How he corrects the mistakes that happen
And uses them to form something beautiful
In God's hands every life can be of service to others