Today’s scripture: Isaiah 64 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (David Zier):
At West Side Oasis, every week we have someone bring a scripture verse they found meaningful during that week . They provide it to me early so I can print it out in 3 or 4 different versions. It is amazing how versions differ, but they can add a richness and depth to the meaning of the verse. The Message Bible is one of the favorites because it can break things down so plainly but yet so meaningful.
In today’s scripture verse, Isaiah 64:8-9 reads this way from The Message bible:
God, you are our [Parent].
We’re the clay and you’re our potter:
All of us are what you made us.
Don’t be too angry with us, O God.
Don’t keep a permanent account of wrongdoing.
Keep in mind, please, we are your people — all of us.
I love this segment of today’s passage because it really encapsulates all of Isaiah 64.
Think about God molding us. We are clay, and God is continually molding and shaping us. We do some things that aren’t good for us, we learn from them, and God uses that to mold us. We spend time with God, learning about ourselves, lifting prayers, concerns, and just listening to God. Again, God uses that to mold us. As God is molding us, God is not keeping that permanent record of our wrong doings, but using that to help shape and mold us. Life’s difficulties and the mistakes we make provide “clay molding” episodes for God. We learn from them. We grow from them. We don’t forget them.
God turns those episodes into the beautiful shapes of our lives. God molds us to incorporate what we’ve learned. We change. We grow. Just think about our growth spurts during a time of difficulty, or times where we learned a good lesson because we made bad choices or did the wrong thing. God molds me into a better person.
But we have to be willing to allow God to do that. That is what repentance is all about. Allowing God to help change us from the wrong things we have done, so God can mold us into something more beautiful. Confessing our sins is not for God, it is for us! The healing, the growing, and the shaping that comes from it is unlike anything else.
We are God’s people; all of us. Bring your sins and iniquities to God so God can be the potter of our lives. Jesus was a carpenter, and in Jesus day, carpentry was more than just wood. Carpenters used all materials to build things, including rock and stone, and what ever else they could use. Imagine, it is Jesus hands, the carpenter, helping to create something greater within us. Those wrong doings are wiped away, and we are molded into something that is more like God.
How seriously do we take repentance? Serious enough to let it change us and to let God mold us?
Thought for the Day: Pray your sins to God. Allow the potter to mold something more beautiful.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.