January 9, 2026

THE POTTER HAS THE AUTHORITY

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, ‘Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.’ So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: ‘O Israel, can I not 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.’”

Jeremiah 18:1–6 NLT

TODAY’S THOUGHT

The image of God as the potter and us as the clay gives us a powerful understanding of life with Him. The potter has full authority over the clay—free to shape it, form it, and remake it according to his purpose. When the clay resists the potter’s hands, it cannot become what the potter intends. At that point, the potter presses it down and begins again.

Through this picture, God showed Jeremiah how He works with people and nations. Judah had rebelled against the Lord, and His promises of blessing were delayed because of their refusal to repent. Jeremiah faithfully called the nation back to God, but they rejected the message. As a result, they were crushed by an enemy—not abandoned by God. They were disciplined so they might be reshaped.

God’s desire has always been to form beautiful vessels from our lives. The key is surrender. We must lay down our ambitions and submit them to God’s assignment. Until we do, our lives will never reach the fullness of His plan.

Surrender is not only about the “big” decisions. It is a daily posture of the heart. As we spend time in God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in prayer, He reveals His will step by step. We begin to sense His gentle direction—calling us to make small adjustments that lead us closer to His perfect purpose.

We must never forget our roles:

I am the clay.

He is the potter.

Let’s never get them reversed.

TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit, help me yield fully to Your work in my life. Help me discover Your will in every area and live it out each day. Shape me according to Your purpose, for Your glory.

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