I was recently researching medieval brick making, I know, kind of a strange subject to be studying. However, for those of you who read my novels, this line of research likely is not surprising to you, since you know that in my current action/adventure series, MARKED, I like to include details about medieval jobs. Learning about brick making of course led me to clay, which reminded me of all the Bible verses about us being like clay and God like the potter.
Job talks to God about being made and formed out of clay (Job 10:9, Job 33:6). And in Isaiah 29:15 the people think they can hide their actions from the LORD, and the LORD answers in verse 16, “Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; for shall the thing made say of him who made it, ‘He did not make me’? or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding’?” And in Isaiah 45:9 we read, “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! … Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’…” And in Isaiah 64:8 we read, “But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.”
Straight out of the ground clay it’s pretty messy stuff. It has lots of impurities and junk in it. Preparing clay to be useable is a lengthy process of wetting, straining, straining some more, adding the right other ingredients, and then partially drying it out again. Or there is a different process for preparing clay of grinding the clay, straining it, adding the other ingredients, and then wetting it for use.
The lengthy process of preparing clay is such an interesting illustration of the work God must do in our lives before we are ready to actually be molded into the purposes and shapes He ultimately has for us. Lots of times we just want to go from being messy to being useful, but God often sets us first on a journey of purifying, straining, and then wetting again before He puts us to use. The junk and impurities in our lives are things we would often like to ignore, but those impurities would result in the clay not shaping correctly and not firing correctly. Preparing clay takes time. When we look at the Bible, there are people God sends off for a while before He brings them into important positions of leadership. This happens with Joseph, Moses, David, and the Apostle Paul, all of whom became strong leaders with lasting impact on the world.
Which brings me to the part of brick making that struck me most. Clay in its original state isn’t actually strong or useful. It’s messy stuff that isn’t good for much of anything. Even once it’s been prepared for use and molded into a form like a cup, jar, or brick, it’s still pretty useless because it is fragile. In fact, all it takes is water or pressure for clay to disintegrate or get smashed out of shape. Clay is only strong once it has endured and survived the transformation of its form that takes place through extreme heat.
Do you know what color clay has to turn while being fired in a kiln (oven) before it becomes strong? The clay has to turn blood red. I knew clay had to be heated, but before doing research on brick making, I didn’t realize that in the heating, the clay actually had to become hot enough that it changed color like heated metal. With the right amount of heat the chemical composition of the clay is actually altered. If the brick survives the firing process and isn’t removed from the heat too soon, it is transformed from a fragile clay to a solid material that can be put to all kinds of uses.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly like heat. I struggled to view the heat God allows in my life as a good thing. But placing heat in the context of myself as clay changes my perspective and makes me ask the questions: Am I embracing the heat that God brings into my life and letting God use it to change me into a strong, useful Christian? Or am I jumping out of the heat to avoid the pain of it, which leaves me fragile and in a large part useless as a Christian?
“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: ‘Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.’ Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the LORD. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!’” ~Jeremiah 18:1-6~
“…the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” ~2Timothy 2:19~
Challenge: Trust the Potter and endure the heat He brings, because strength and purpose is found in the transformation that He as the Creator pre-designed for the clay.
When the rocks speak 