From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Wed, May 17, 2023 at 6:04 AM

Subject: 5-17-23 THOUGHTS

5-17-23   THOUGHTS

Some potter passages to think about this morning.  The song “Have Thine Own Way”, says “Thou art the potter, I am the clay.  Mold me and make me, after thy will...”  Another song, “Change My Heart, O God” says “Change my heart, O God, make it ever true...  You are the potter, I am the clay, mold me and make me...”   These are SUBMISSION thoughts.  They are rightful pictures of power and authority, the Potter and the Clay.  “Does not the potter have a right over the clay...”?     “Change my heart, O God, may I be like You.”

Rom 9:14-23    What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15  For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED  THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." 18  So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19  You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" 20  On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?  21  Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22  What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23  And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
Isa 29:15-16    Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, And whose deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, "Who sees us?" or "Who knows us?"  16  You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, "He did not make me"; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?
Jer 18:1-6  The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying,  2  "Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you." 3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel.  4  But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. 5  Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, 6  "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

My Prayer:
Father, may we joyfully submit to You making of us what You desire.  May we eagerly partner with You as You  make us useful parts of the Kingdom.  Help us to be willing, ready and able as we serve and expand Your Church.  May we see Jesus so clearly that we spontaneously tell His story.  Help us to live that good news story.  Bless us with the joy of Your salvation. 

In the name of Christ Jesus,      Amen.