Repurposed for Him

One can find many treasures in small country stores owned by the locals. Several pieces of furniture throughout my home were ready for the trash bin. Stained from years of use, chipped corners and weakened wood scarred these relics. Nonetheless, something transpired with the different pieces that caught my attention.
The eyes of a local artist saw what I could not. The wood, marred by time, transformed with her touch. Great care was taken to remove the layers of old stain or paint. Her hands sanded and smoothed the scarred edges, preparing them for fresh paint. Then she grabbed her artist brushes to paint landscapes of marshes, water cranes, and shorelines. Through her talent, she has refurbished many items considered a loss.
The Prophet Jeremiah had first-hand experience in watching an artist at work. Standing outside the Potter’s house, he watched the master at work. The vessel being created became marred, losing its shape. The potter did not become angry, discarding his work. On the contrary, he continued reshaping the piece on the wheel until it became another pitcher that seemed best to him. Like clay in the potter’s hand, we are in the hands of the Lord (Jeremiah18:1-5).
Like old pieces of furniture, our lives are filled with scars and chipped corners that make up who we are. Triumphs and downfalls, successes and losses, plague us all. Some choices are of our own doing, while others are beyond our control. Each of these moments shapes our personalities into who we are. However, regardless of our scars, we can become repurposed when we become pliable in the potter’s hands.
It is the “pliability” that troubles us. Often, we want to climb down from the potter’s wheel before we are ready because reshaping becomes a painful process, even though it is necessary. Without the completed process, we become a new wine poured into an old wineskin; the new wine will burst the old wineskin (Matthew 9:16-17). Being pliable may be painful, but it is better than spilling the wine.
No man was ever born to live in brokenness, to be spilled out and considered a waste. We were not created in a darkened world. God created light on the first day of creation (Genesis 1:2) because light is needed for life. When Jesus walked the earth, He said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Then Jesus taught the disciples that we are the light of the world, and we are to let our light shine (Matthew 5:14) and we are not to be hidden. The pliability in the potter’s hands will illuminate our lives, allowing our light to shine before others.
When we walk in the image of God, we are walking in our purpose; our light is shining. We are not to be conformed to the darkness of this world but transformed by renewing our hearts and minds to the truth and light of God’s word (Romans 12:2). His truth says we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us (Romans 8:37-39). The world may teach us that we are nothing more than discarded furniture, yet our Father restores us, giving us a new heart and spirit (Ezekiel 36:26). He is removing our broken pieces and recreating us for His Kingdom. Therefore, as painful as it may be, staying on the potter’s wheel will become our greatest victory as we are repurposed for the Lord.

Philippians 1:6–And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.