The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. — Jeremiah 18:1-2
Throughout my life I have been fascinated by the story of Jeremiah here in chapter 18 where he was told to go to the potter’s house. I believe that every passage of scripture included in the Bible has a specific purpose and meaning. God had a specific purpose in mind with these verses in Jeremiah. Yes, the story dealt specifically with Jeremiah and the children of Israel, but there are many modern day applications that can be found for us in these same verses. We can call them lessons from the potter’s house.
The first lesson is found very quickly in the verses of Jeremiah 18. The world of the Lord came to Jeremiah and said for him to go to the potter’s house. The potter’s house was the place of the potter’s work. All the resources the potter needed to do his work was there. The potter’s wheel was there. There was clay there. The water used was there. Everything the potter needed to do his work was there.
The problem is that Jeremiah had to be there. Verse 2 says that God had a purpose for Jeremiah to be at the potter’s house. He had a message for Jeremiah. But if Jeremiah was not at the potter’s house, he wouldn’t hear that message.
There’s one interesting thing here to take note of. Just because Jeremiah was not at the potter’s house, it did not mean that the work of the potter was not continuing. The potter would continue to do his work. He would still go about his craft in the potter’s house molding and shaping clay. But for Jeremiah to hear from God and to see the work of the potter happen, he had to be there. He had to submit and purposefully go to the potter’s house.
In the first lesson from the potter’s house, we can see the importance of being where God wants us to be. If Jeremiah had not been obedient and went to the potter’s house, he would have missed what God wanted to share. The word of God to Jeremiah was important, just like what God would want to share with each of us. But we have to be obedient.
Not only the obedience to God is found here, but I think its important to remember that the potter’s work was not affected by Jeremiah. Just because Jeremiah did or did not go, it did not affect the potter and the work. But because of Jeremiah’s obedience, he was able to see and be part of the work the potter was doing.
Just because we are disobedient, it does not stop God’s ability to be God. He still has the entire world in His hands. He is still working, still moving, and still doing all the things that God does. But when we are obedient, we find an opportunity for us to be part of what God is doing. Something that we miss out on if we are disobedient.
Another Well Ministries is a nonprofit ministry focused on encouraging Christians and helping them develop stronger relationships with God. You can find out more about us and ways to support us here.
If you enjoy our devotionals, please consider subscribing to receive them every day.