Soft Clay

I have been learning more about the Kingdom truths from some wonderful sermons by John White, the late Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Minneapolis.  In his Hebrew series, he talks about having soft hearts to hear the Word of God so we can be soft clay for the Lord to mold.  If our hearts are hard, our clay is hard, and hard clay cannot be easily molded.

I was reminded of this again during my morning reading from the book of Isaiah:

But now, O LORD, You are our Father,

We are the clay, and You our potter;

All of us are the work of Your hand.

(Isaiah 64:8, NASB)

I learned from The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary that clay is highly valuable for making pottery when it is in its pure condition. Pure clay is generated from the decomposition of feldspathic rocks, which forms whitish, chalky-looking beds. Most clay, however, is generally contaminated with other substances. 

I thought this was an apropos analogy for believers who are striving not just to see the Kingdom, but to enter it.  Scripture instructs us to seek first His Kingdom, but that is not always easy (Matthew 6:33).  If we are not careful, and do not guard our minds and our hearts, it is easy to become contaminated by other substances in the world.  

I further learned that clay was used during Biblical times to make earthen vessels, which often housed gold or silver.  Scripture tells us that if we build on the foundation Jesus Christ has set with gold, silver, and precious stones, our works may withstand the test of fire (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

As we run our race of faith, let us pray that our vessels will be filled with gold, silver, and precious stones and not with wood, hay, and stubble.  Lord may we be soft clay as we prepare for thy Kingdom come.  And in all our ways, may Your will be done.