Imagine a potter at the wheel shaping a clay pot by hand.
As he works the clay, a defect causes the pot to wobble out of shape. So, the potter pushes the clay back into a ball and begins to re-form the clay into the pot he had in mind all along.
It’s actually an image of God shaping our lives, as well. The Bible calls God the potter and we are the clay in his hands. He is shaping our lives, utilizing the tools of time, experiences, heartaches and celebrations. He shapes us through the people He surrounds us with, and through the life we share together in His church. God shapes our lives so we can be simple, earthly vessels who carry the eternal treasure of Christ and His good news of new life.
But, sometimes we all become cracked pots. I’m betting you’re thinking, “Yeah, I’ve known a few crack pots for sure.” And I have, too. But I want you to take this the right way—those folks have known you and me, too. Sometimes, our clay pots have been cracked by sin, distraction from God’s plans and His design for our lives.
In those moments, God has sought to re-form us. This He does through Christ our Savior who died to pay the price for our sins. He rose up from the grave to overcome even death itself, and through Christ alone, we have new life here in time and eternal life to come in His heavenly home.
Sometimes, it’s not just individuals needing to be re-formed. In 1517, the whole Christian church needed to be re-formed. The church of that day had drifted away from a right focus on salvation and new life as God’s gift to us through His grace alone, received by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, and that message is revealed to us through Scripture alone.
On Oct. 31, 1517, a monk named Martin Luther nailed a list of 95 key discussion points to the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany, wanting to start a discussion. He actually kicked off the Reformation era of the Christian church. God’s re-formed us in Christ and through the Reformation era. He re-formed, or re-focused, us again on God’s Word and the new life He gives us.
To hear more about this new life in Christ, and to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation of the Church, join us at Hosanna Lutheran Church, located at 9601 E. Brown Road.