Holy Bible Online 
This passage from Jeremiah 18 about the potter’s vessel reveals God’s sovereign power. Just as the potter shapes the clay, God shapes our lives according to His purpose—teaching us about His patience, wisdom, and ability to restore what is broken. In God's hands, we are molded to glorify His name.
Theme: Being Molded in God’s Hands
Objective:
To show how God, the Potter, works in our lives to shape us according to His purpose, correcting our flaws and restoring us to fulfill His perfect plan. To inspire people to submit to the divine process of transformation and fully trust the care of the Creator.
Central Message:
God is the Potter who shapes our lives. Even when the vessel is broken, He does not give up. He works to restore and transform us into instruments of His eternal purpose.
Key Text: Jeremiah 18:1–6
He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.
- Jeremiah 18:6
Introduction
We all face moments when we feel like broken vessels—flawed, wounded, and unable to fulfill our purpose.
The passage in Jeremiah 18 paints a powerful picture of God’s care and patience. Like a skilled potter, He shapes and transforms our lives, even in the midst of our failures and limitations.
Context of Jeremiah 18:1–6
The prophet Jeremiah was sent by God to deliver a powerful message to the people of Israel. The potter, working at his wheel, symbolized the Lord shaping His people.
When the vessel became marred, the potter didn’t discard it; instead, he reshaped it. This illustrated God’s patience and His desire to restore Israel despite their disobedience. The passage reveals God’s sovereign power and His willingness to transform what seems lost, guiding us into the center of His will.
The Vessel in the Potter’s Hands
Just as the potter shapes the clay with his hands, God shapes us with His love and wisdom. He knows us deeply—our weaknesses, our limitations—and yet He does not abandon us. On the contrary, He works in us day by day, helping us grow into what He has planned for us to be.
The Broken Vessel
At times, we feel like broken vessels—full of flaws and cracks. Sin and poor choices distance us from God, making us feel useless or worthless. But just as the potter does not throw away the damaged clay, God does not give up on us, even when we fail.
The Restoration of the Vessel
Restoration takes time, but God is patient. He doesn’t reject us; He lovingly reshapes us, like a potter taking clay and forming it into a new vessel. God works in our hearts to transform us, making us instruments of His glory. He gives us new opportunities and makes us useful for His purpose.
How Can We Be Molded in the Potter’s Hands?
To be molded in the hands of the Potter, we must allow God to have complete control over our lives.
Clay does not resist the potter’s touch—it yields to the process, trusting that the master knows what he is doing. In the same way, we must fully surrender to God, recognizing that He has a perfect plan for us, even when the process seems difficult.
We must be willing to let go of our resistance and allow Him to work in our hearts. This means obeying His Word, trusting His timing, and often going through adjustments that are not easy.
God, as the Potter, knows when it’s time to soften, correct, or even start over. He never forces the clay, but patiently guides it, knowing the final result will be something beautiful and useful.
The key to being molded is surrender. We need to pray and ask God to transform us, to remove what is unnecessary in our lives. As we submit to this process, we can trust that He is shaping us more and more into the image He has for us—vessels of honor, ready for His glory.
Conclusion
God is the Potter who never gives up on us. Even when we fail, He is willing to remake us, molding us for His purpose. Submitting to His process requires faith and surrender, but the result is a renewed and fulfilled life.
Trust the Potter, for He has a perfect plan for you. Allow yourself to be shaped to fulfill the will of God.
See also: