Day 239 Broken Pots

 

8/27/2026

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite

heart - these, O God, You will not despise."

Psalm 51:17

 

Another early morning wake up call, but I feel more prepared for today than I did yesterday. I've been going to medical appointments with my son as a support should he need me to drive. He actually said he enjoys having me around, even though I can be a chatterbox at times. I imagine it depends on the subject, as I prefer the quiet drive. But then, I guess God would say I talk to Him a lot when it's just the two of us. I suppose it can be reassuring to have someone along for the ride. I spent many years driving myself to appointments when I would have welcomed having someone along to hold my hand. But I survived those days, and I became stronger in spite of the struggles. Now that I am advancing in age (chuckling) I am grateful that I am closer to friends and family, especially my sister.

It's interesting how God orchestrates my day, or at least that is how I feel about my life. If I surrender it all to Him, why wouldn't He be in control? I can make my own decisions, but Holy Spirit, living in me, directs my steps. I love that! He keeps me in line! This morning I opened my journal and began to share my feelings about my children's physical hardships, thinking about how the system doesn't really care about the root cause of a health issue, rather it focuses only on a bandaid treatment - a quick fix. One that invariably leads to more and more band-aids heaped on top of each other causing more medical inconsistencies. And round and round they go! It's frustrating to me as a small time research biologist who prefers to look at a problem from the cellular level. I'm kind of like Dr. House in that way, except I have been considering the powerhouse of the cell that is designed to keep the body functioning systemically,  each organ in sync with the others - fearfully and wonderfully God calls it. 

But going back to my original thought...when I opened my daily devotional this morning, Until He Comes by Amir Tsarfati & Barry Stagner, the title was "God Uses the Broken." The author writes about the Apostle Peter's struggle with speaking when he should be listening as an example of how God can work through a person's life in bringing about transformation and growth. Peter had the habit of making profound responses to Jesus' questions that only God could reveal, then turning around and having to be rebuked by Jesus for making a false assumption. When considering the men Jesus chose as disciples, each had unique personalities, and they came from different backgrounds. Throughout Scripture God has used flawed mankind to bring about His purposes. He chose Gideon, whom the angel of the Lord found hiding in a wine press, to conquer the invading army with only a handful of men. He chose a reluctant evangelist to give a message of repentance to the barbaric Assyrian city of Nineveh. God's ways are certainly not our ways, which is certainly a relief!

In the book of Jeremiah (Chapter 18, verse 6) God tells Jeremiah to go to the potter's house where pots and jars are made for an object lesson for Israel saying, "O Israel, can't I do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand." Repeatedly, Israel has rebelled against God, but when they are punished for their sin and disobedience, the Lord hears their cries and comes to their rescue. Jeremiah was sent as a prophet to warn Judah about judgment, destruction of Jerusalem, and exile into a foreign country if they did not repent and turn back to God. Jeremiah has been called the weeping prophet, because although he spoke out boldly to the people, warning them, he cared deeply for his people. He also suffered persecution and threats on his life for delivering the Lord's messages. But God uses those who are yielded to His will, weak or strong, educated or not. 

Paul, chosen by God to be an Apostle to the Gentiles, is an example of a man who suffered greatly as a follower of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 1:8 Paul says: "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life." Paul also spoke of his thorn in the flesh that he asked God three times to remove, but God would not, yet Paul continued to complete the work that God asked him to do. God calls anyone who is willing in heart, and He provides them with whatever is needed.

My only desire in life is to complete the work He has given for me to complete. I am a broken pot, and I've been slapped back on the potter's wheel for repair more times than I can count. God in His wondrous grace and mercy picks me up, all the broken pieces, and mends me back together. He will do the same for anyone who loves Him and is called to His service.