The Lord says He is shaping disaster against His people yet
shows Jeremiah a potter whose first attempt with the clay didn’t turn out
right. The response of the potter wasn’t
to throw away the clay but to reshape it into something else. What did the Lord say would be the catalyst
for Him to reshape the future of the nation?
Repentance. That was exactly what
they were told right back at the dedication of the temple, that if they would
turn from their wicked ways and repent, He would hear and heal the land. He is always willing to relent and to heal,
bless and forgive if we are willing to repent.
His love is such that He takes misshapen clay like us and make us into
something new, both useful and beautiful.
We are never spoiled beyond His ability to do this work.
“What must we do to be doing the works of God?” That was the question the people asked when
Jesus told them not to work for that which perishes. His response was that they are simply to
believe. They want a sign that if Jesus
is that guy, the One sent by God, He will show them. Remember, they followed Him here because of
the signs He was doing with the sick and then they saw a sign just the day
before that caused them to want to make Him king. When I get to McDonalds, having followed the
interstate signs, I don’t sit in the parking lot under the golden arches asking
for another sign so that I will really know I can get something to eat
there. Their request, “Moses gave us
manna…” proves His initial accusation against them was true, you’re here for
the bread that doesn’t satisfy and offers them as He offered the Samaritan
woman, that which gives life. That bread,
He says, is me and if you believe you will have life. The last paragraph is very clear as to the
claim He is making isn’t it?
The first seven chapters are an indictment against Jews and
Gentiles alike, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ending with
Paul’s plea for salvation from this body of death. Chapter 8 begins with the Gospel, “There is
therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The indictment says guilty, the judge says
yes, but there is no condemnation for sin for those who believe in the Son, sin
was condemned on the cross and the penalty paid in the willing sacrifice of
Jesus. That means we can now be reshaped
according to the Spirit. Now that sin
has been dealt with and the Spirit given, we can turn away from the desires of
the flesh. Justification is complete at
the cross, sanctification, the process of reshaping, begins there.
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