Broken Pieces

Did you know that I use to work at paint your own pottery store? I did!  I loved that job. I enjoyed helping kids pick out their pottery piece.  I was thrilled to help them get started and create their ideas.  For the artist in me it was the perfect place to work.  When there were dead times, especially in the winter, my boss would let me paint pieces to sell them in the store.  I would sit near the shop window and paint away as the snow would fall to the ground.  Frankly, I believe there will be a paint your own pottery shop in heaven....trust me there will be one.

In fact, I have written about working there before...go here  and you can see some of my pieces there too.

Working in that shop, I became very familiar with pottery, firing and the finished product.  I learned in high school how to create pottery.  With all this knowledge about this certain art form, I realize what an amazing metaphor a piece of pottery can be in regards to life.  I am not surprised that God uses pottery to help us understand deep ideas about Him.  

Last night, I had the privilege to hear a great pastor.  He brought in some clay pots for his illustration.  He reminded me that it is not my abilities, my talents, or the things I think are good about me that God uses.    God uses my imperfections, my weaknesses to display His glory.  Then the pastor took the pots and smashed them on the ground.  God takes the broken pieces of my life and uses them to show His grace.  Even though we may see ourselves as worthless.

Philippians 3

⁷ I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. ⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

We are all like that shattered pot. We all come to Christ as broken pieces.  But God can take even the smallest fragment of our life and do something powerful with it.  He can take that piece and make it useful once again. 

My piece of broken pottery I took home as a reminder of His Grace!

When I begin to realize that my own pride leads me down a path far away from Him and choose to humble myself then and only then can God use me.  Not to use me to bring greatness to my name; but to bring greatness to His name.  What do I really have to offer God?  He does not truly need me.  He has all that He needs.  Yet.......Yet He chooses you and He chooses me to spread His love to all His people.

Wow, Jesus use the broken pieces of my life for your Glory and to build your Kingdom!

GET JOY!