He Crushed It Into a Lump of Clay (Jeremiah 18:2-4)

3/28/10 Yesterday night I did street evangelism with about 6 other people. I feel like God is calling me to step out of my comfort zone. We paired up and I went with a woman named Rebecca. She was fearless when she would talk to the people on the streets. Me on the other hand, I was terrified! I felt so self-conscious and it took everything I had to go up to people I didn’t know and try to strike up a conversation. I did feel more comfortable after a few times doing it. We spoke to a couple of kids(under 30) and they were wishy-washy about spiritual things. We prayed with/for them to get a better understanding and better relationship with Jesus. Then we talked to a guy named Jeff. He was a middle aged fellow who was sitting on a barrier wall between the beach and the road watching the college kids hanging out at the Elbowroom Bar. We spoke to him for 45mins about God’s love and spiritual things. I asked him if he wanted to receive Jesus as his savior and he said No! We proceeded to talk with him for another 10mins and I asked him once again and he said No. Then just as we were about to leave we spoke to him about sin and the need to be redeemed from the consequences of sin etc.. When we finished speaking with him, it looked like a light went on in his head and his face looked different( almost shining). Then I asked him once again if he wanted to receive Jesus as his Lord and savior. This time he said yes!! ( I thought to myself really?) I lead him in the “sinners prayer” and he accepted Jesus as his Lord and savior. He seemed so grateful and thanked us for everything. We gave him the book of John and other literature. God you are so awesome! I am so glad you didn’t give up on me when I was so far away from you. I was reading in the book of Jeremiah chapter 18 and I have read this before, but now the words just JUMPED right off the page at me! Jeremiah 18:2-4“Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over”. Lord I thank you that you loved me so much that you did not allow me to say stuck in my sin. You loved me so much that you disciplined me and You crushed me and started over. “As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?”(Hebrews 12:7). God you wanted me to be a vessel of honor so you could use me to do your will. Romans 9:21 says “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” Lord I know that you formed me from the dust of the ground and breathed life into me(Gen 2:7) . You know everything about me for you said "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart”(Jeremiah 1:5). One of my new favorite verses that I cling to with all of my heart is psalms 119:71“ It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.” I do believe that you allowed my wife to leave me so you could get my attention. I wish I could have learned to obey and trust you a different way. But I know that I am so stubborn and would still be stuck in my sin. Lord Jesus I pray in your Holy name for the restoration of our marriage. I pray that you would heal/soften Her heart and draw her back to you. I know in your word that you hate divorce (Malachi 2:16) so I am praying for a supernatural healing of our marriage. But if for some reason you do not restore our marriage, I am going to trust in faith that you will work all things for good (Romans 8:28). I am learning to trust you and I know that you have never let me down. Lord Increase my faith.