The Potter

One of the most popular images in the Christian tradition was drawn from this passage in Jeremiah. In our mind’s eye we see God as a kindly old gentleman bent over the potter’s wheel, a mound of clay slowly taking shape in its center.

We imagine Him gently forming us into the good and decent characters we ought to be. Warm, strong hands smooth out our rough spots, turning us into pretty vases worthy of a place of honor in the Divine china cabinet. God does the work and we’re the glorious result.

Nice.

A Comfortable Notion

So if I’m not so hot at being kind and gracious, if I fail to seek justice and do righteousness — it’s no big deal. If I’m nasty and self-absorbed, greedy and merciless, I don’t have to shape up and follow Christ’s teachings. God will do the shaping for me.

I can just sit here like a lump on a bump and let God massage me into a fine and dandy human being. Easy-peasy.

But it isn’t what Jeremiah said.

The message he conveyed did not absolve the people from their responsibility to be just and merciful; the word of the Lord was not “Relax, I’ve got it all under control.” Quite the opposite.

It was a warning. They were heading for disaster unless they changed their ways. What was happening was their responsibility. What happened next was up to them.

Reality Check

The prophet warns us that God isn’t a celestial Sanitation Engineer who will clean up the messes we make. We’ve been given brains to use, and free will to chose: what has happened is our responsibility. What happens next is up to us.

Of course we should be sending up an SOS to the Beloved when we see trouble on the horizon: prayer is the appropriate response to every aspect of our lives. But prayer is a two-way conversation: it has to be more than just whining to God about how bad things are; we must be ready and willing to hear God’s answer — and to accept God’s charge to us to resolve the problems we face.

But our God is not a cold and unfeeling Being: on this point the prophets are all agreed — even that cranky cuss Jeremiah. No matter how grim the situation may be, no matter how deep our troubles, how severe our trials, the Beloved wants the best for us. There is always, always, always Holy Possibility. Things can change.

Optimism and Opportunities

Our gracious Creator has sent us prophets to warn us, given us Scriptures to guide us, and Jesus the Christ to lead us. No matter how often we stumble and fall, the Beloved extends a hand to lift us up; no matter how far we wander from the path, our sweet Shepherd seeks to bring us home.

No matter how dire the circumstances, how stupid our mistakes, how disordered our lives may be — God never gives up on us.

Over and again, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, God offers us an opportunity to change. Gently, using only the bonds of love, our Creator seeks to lead us away from that which is harmful, and toward that which gives life and joy and peace. And that utterly holy, completely determined One never gives up.

God is the original Eternal Optimist.

Knowing this, trusting this, believing this, then we must be optimists, as well.

Nothing is Impossible

Nothing we do puts us beyond salvation, no situation in the world is beyond remedy. Despite our faults and failings — even when we stand on the brink of disaster, we can change; things can change.

Whatever evils prophets may see or cynics predict — they are warnings, not guarantees. They are heralds, calling for earnest prayer and well-considered action. Nothing is etched in stone. The one certainty is that God is the God of history: of the past, present and future — and all that happens is influenced by God’s mercy and compassion.

We are not hostages to fate, or victims of destiny. Together with God we can change our lives, our communities, our nation, our world.

For nothing is impossible with God.
      ~ Luke 1:37 (Mt 19:26; Mk 10:27, 14:36)

Virtual hugs and real-time blessings,

Deborah +

This Week's Spiritual Exercise

What makes you feel helpless or despairing? Make a commitment to pray about this concern every day, asking especially for discernment to know what you may do to change the way things are.