In The Holy Land of Israel, many artifacts remain dating back even from before the time of Christ. Most of these artifacts were ceramic! Other mediums decay and disintegrate, but fired clay is lasting, just as a living soul is eternal. The entire gospel and Christian walk can be shared through creation of a pot on the potter’s wheel, from the creation of Adam from the Terra Cotta (Red Clay), (Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being) to the purpose God has for creating each of us (Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart).

There are many types of vessels, each with a different, but necessary, purpose – even the dirtiest, oldest one used to hold the water poured out to make every other vessel. After the sin of Adam & Eve, we were in darkness and without hope. We are like the clay originates, in a deep, dark pit with slippery walls, unable to escape on our own. But we see the light above and call out for help. Our Friend hears us, and lifts us out of the Miry Pit and sets our foot upon a rock, or The Potter’s Wheel. (Psalm 40:2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. ) While making a pot, we experience the importance of being centered in the will of God to obtain His purpose, and what happens when we struggle against Him. Just like the clay on the wheel, if we do not stay centered in His will, we become unbalanced and unstable. After we are centered and begin to trust Him, He can begin to work on our heart.

The Potter’s perspective is directly of the heart, but those watching see only the outward appearance. As others draw close to the Potter themselves, they get a better view of the vessel on the wheel, seeing the heart as the Potter see (1 Samuel 16:…7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” ). After completing a work, we witness the firing process of the kiln, and relate it to the refining fire of the Holy Spirit. How it would hurt if the clay were alive, as we – the clay – are alive, but how critical the process is to remove impurities and make us strong and stable (Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire). At the very hottest temperature in the kiln, the glaze becomes shiny. It is at this point in our walk, we reflect the Potter. He is able to see His image in us. It is then that we reach the ultimate purpose we were originally created for (Isaiah 64:8 Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand).