In His Hands

If you remember, last week we studied about the importance of being ready for that moment when we will finally be before the presence of God. The reality of it all is that we all need to check our life on a daily basis, to discover those areas that may be weak, or those areas that we can improve. I say this because at given times we all confront situations in our life that we do not handle appropriately, or better said, that we do not handle they way that God expects us to handle them. In other words, the objective of all faithful believers must be to act in a fashion that will reveal to the world the love, mercy and grace of God. But the reality of it all is that none of us will ever reach that objective, unless we allow God to take complete control of everything that we are. The reality of it all is that we will never reach this objective if we do not allow God to shape us according to His will. Therefore, today we are going to speak about placing all that we are in His hands, and allow him to shape us according to His will. Let’s now turn to the Word of God.

Jeremiah 18:1-11 - The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2rise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3hen I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. 7At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; 8If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. 9And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. 11Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

Like I always say, to reach a better understanding of the message that God has for us today, it will be necessary to conduct a brief review in history. With this in mind let’s now take a couple of minutes to know this man called Jeremiah, and the circumstances that surrounded his life. Jeremiah was born during very difficult times; they were times when apostasy, idolatry, and the pagan rituals flourished in the people of God, and His patience was growing short. This is something that is very well reflected in Jeremiah 17:1-4 when we read “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; 2Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills. 3O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders. 4And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever.” Jeremiah ministered to the people of God for a period of forty years. How could this servant remain so faithful for so long? The reason was able to endure for so long was because Jeremiah was an obedient servant of the Lord, and was completely dedicated to preaching His truth. This is something that is very well reflected in the verses that describe his calling as we find in Jeremiah 1:4-8 when we read “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.” Why do we need to know these small details? It is necessary to know the conditions and situations that surrounded this man because they reveal to us God’s love, mercy and grace. These small details reveal to us that God does not stop loving his people, even when, His people abandon him. With this in mind, let’s continue now with our topic for today.