August 11 – Jeremiah 18-22

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Jeremiah 18-22. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

I am often amazed with stories of Christians willing to stand against culture and even laws to preach and teach about Jesus. We are astounded by men like C.Y. Kim who has gone to prison over and over again for preaching Jesus in his native Southeast Asia. We honor men like Jim Elliot who gave his life to reach tribal people of Ecuador. We marvel at men like Dr. Livingston who gave his whole life to share Jesus with people in remote corners of Africa. We are able to feel this way because we can comfortably watch from the sidelines in our safe American churches.

Jeremiah faced his own form of persecution. He preached the message God gave him. God sent Jeremiah out with an object lesson where he broke a pot indicating what God would do to Judah, especially Jerusalem. He spoke words outside the Temple of God, and when the priest in charge of the Temple heard Jeremiah speak, he arrested him. Now Jeremiah only spent one night in jail, but he was still arrested for speaking the message that God had given him. Trouble for Jeremiah is only beginning.

Let me ask you, are you willing to possibly become more uncomfortable for Jesus? We admire people around the globe who stand up for Christ. But what if your faith, what if you relationship with Jesus called for you to do the same? The more I watch our world, the more I am convinced that I may just see some sort of real persecution for my faith in Christ. The struggle I have in my own mind is the question of whether I will be strong enough and willing to sacrifice for my God and savior. I used to say I hope that day would never come, but as time goes on I am beginning to prepare and accept that it will come. Maybe for me that is a good indication that I would be willing to stand up for God. Where are you at in your own heart? 

August 1 – Isaiah 64-66

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Isaiah 64-66. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Akshathnkumar Shetty

I was never good when it came to molding things out of clay. Art really is not my thing. I can take a lump of clay and roll a pretty mean snake, but beyond that, I just lack the talent. It’s not for trying; I have given it my best effort. In middle school art class I tried to make a dragon, but the proportions were completely off, and the only thing right on it was possibly the green color. I thought it would be fun to sit down at the pottery wheel, but every time the urn began to form it would collapse back down. (Still the romantic scene of me and Crystal together at a pottery wheel sounds like fun!) The most memorable thing I made was a clay pot out of snake rings piled on top of each other and then smoothed over. It is midnight blue and black in color and sits in my attic today.

I love that the Bible often likens God’s work in us to Him being the potter and us being the clay. Unlike my lack of talent, God has all the ability that we could hope for. He is the master potter. He is the ultimate craftsman. He wants to mold us and shape us to his will for our lives. At least that is what Isaiah reminds us of … “you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8 NLT)

Now the question is are you allowing the potter to work? Are you allowing God the Father to mold and shape you into the beautiful creation He desires you to be? Are you praying, asking God to be the potter of your life? I hope so, but you must know it takes giving up control. It takes allowing God to take you through things you might not necessarily get or understand. It takes you allowing God to put you through the pressure of His hands and through the finishing fire. It may not always be pleasant, but what comes out on the other end is magnificent. My pottery projects were disasters, but my hands are not the hands of a master potter. God’s hands are the hands of a master potter, and his works are magnificent!