JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q1. The Potter and the Clay - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q1. (Isaiah 45:9-12) Why is it ridiculous for a pot to second-guess the Potter? How do we Christians do this? What is a better attitude and behavior before our Creator?

A pot is made at the discretion of the Potter, according to whatever design and function He has in mind. It is His desire and His skilled touch that turn the lump of rather meaningless clay into a purposeful object. The vessel itself has no ability to create itself or make suggestions on how it should be crafted and used. The creation has no basis on which to challenge the Creator; it can never be smarter or bigger or more important. Yet, we try to do this very thing all the time. We try to figure things out with our own wisdom, we act on our own feelings and intuitions about what's right, we walk by sight instead of faith. It's that innate desire to have our "say-so", make things the way we want them, and be in control.

I'm called to trust that what my Creator does is right. I should be humble, grateful, and content in His purposes and provisions. I need to seek His wisdom and timing instead of running off on my own so much. I'm too prone to making my "big" plans and then expecting Him to see them through, when in truth, this little pot has no right to make demands of the Potter. I must yield to the Spirit's work to conform my will to His, not try and conform His will to mine.

Q1. (Isaiah 45:9-12) Why is it ridiculous for a pot to second-guess the Potter? How do we Christians do this? What is a better attitude and behavior before our Creator?

It is ridiculous because a pot has no mouth of voice. It has no right, or say in what the maker is making. The pot has no reasoning abilities or the ability to think.

I think we as Christians do this by grumbling and complaining about circumstances we find ourselves in. It is like we expect God to keep us from every trial or hardship and only allow us to "prosper" or have blessings. When something we perceive as "not good" happens we begin to question God. This is as ridiculous as a pot questioning a potter. God is so much further in understanding and knowledge that the comparison is that we are like pots and He the Potter. Just as the pot has no understanding or ability to reason, no mouth or voice or right, we too have no right to question God.

A better attitude and behavior would be for us to accept what God allows in our lives and if we are going to question God, let our question be: "what can I learn from this God?"

Of the many reasons, the pot has no ability to reshape or form itself. It is completely dependent uopn the Potter to make it into what ever the Potter see's fit. It has not creative properties, or design creativeness for its own purposes. It cannot see that it needs to be a dish or a pitcher, bowl or plare. Only the Potter knows what uses it would best serve, and is created for that purpose.

We stumble into the realm of "why me". When we're going through anything we look at others and say why not them instead of me. Why do I have to be the one to always suffer or have to endure or (the list is endless) What we're doing is asking God the Potter why He made us for this particular task. Why couldn't I have been made something else, We're not satisfied. We simply forget that things sometimes happen to other people, and sometimes WE'RE THE OTHER PEOPLE.

Taken from a page from my Master's Garden Helps, not my will but thy will be done. The right attitude is to drop the attitude and change our behavior and as Paul said be content in whatsoever state we find ourselves in. Sometimes its our turn to be the crash dummy.

Q1. (Isaiah 45:9-12) Why is it ridiculous for a pot to second-guess the Potter? How do we Christians do this? What is a better attitude and behavior before our Creator?

Why is it ridiculous for a pot to second-guess the Potter?

Its the potters job to mold us the way he desires to. To make us be what he wants. It is better not to second guess him cause he knows even better what we need. We need to leave him alone to do his work in us so that his best comes out in us.

How do we Christians do this?

We try to tell him what to do instead of leaving him to do the work. We try to stop him when what he is doing seems to hurt us. We don't want that pain.

What is a better attitude and behavior before our Creator?

Its better for us to not try and help him. He knows what he is doing. He knows what will happen cause he knows the what we will become if we will leave him to do his work in us. We should welcome the things he does to bring us closer to him.

It's ridiculous for the pot to second guess the potter because a pot is the creation, not the creator. Only the creator knows what He is fashioning.
We as Christian do this by trying to tell God what He is doing (or should be doing) in our lives. I read an interesting sign the other day. It said, " Most Christians do want to serve God.....as His advisor!" Isn't that what we do? We try to tell God the next best step in our lives...not to mention sometimes in the lives of others around us! We need to lay all that down and give the Holy Spirit free reign in our lives.
A better attitude would be to seek God and be in obedience to His Word above all things and then allow everything to be added to us in that way. We will be living more in His will and through Him we can live in better relationship with each other. We need to ask the Holy Spirit everyday to help us. He is faithful!

A pot has no creating abilities of its own; it is only a vessel or container. God created us exactly perfectly with every organ and cell designed to do its unique job. When our first child was born, I was awed at the perfection that was displayed in her body, both externally and internally. What reason would there be to want to be dissatisfied with such a beautiful creation?

We all want to know what is ahead for our future. God knows the future and is asking us, his children, to ask Him concerning things that is yet to come. God urges us to seek the Scriptures and to inquire of Him in prayer. The Geneva Study Bible quote: Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. When we have questions about our future or any of His Created works, we can go to Him and ask. We can rest, knowing God has all things held securely in his loving hands.

'The pot' is usually only interested in 'self'. I want things MY way, NO pain, No uncomfortable places, No going out of My way, this is the only thing the 'pot' knows.
It doesn't know that all the above 'NO's - are the only way to make the pot into something sturdy, useable and beautiful in the potters eyes.
It is ridiculous for the pot to second guess the Potter because it has no idea what is possible for it to become.
Left to the pot, it would not be useful for much of anything, and would probably break in no time.

We always say we want God's will for our lives, but, we don't want to go through the process it takes to get us there. We want the easy way out. but there is no easy way from the cross.

If we trust God completely and let him have his way with our lives, it would be so much better than we could ever do by or for ourselves. It's so-o-o-o worth it to give him everything, he can make so much more of what we have than we can. and it will count for so much more if he does it.

We as the pot, at times or many of times has a mind of our own, that we do not need the potter. We think that we could do better than God. We make our own God. We make idols that connot help us one bit.We think of an idol is anything natural that is given scaredvalue and power.What we should know at all times is these question to ask our selfs. Who created me? Whom do i ultimately trust? Whom do i look to for ultimate truth,do i look to for security and happiness and who is in charge of me future. To check out these question is to read the bible. The bible tells us about our creator, that there is no other God who created us. He is our only Potter. We the pot do not know any better without the Potter. We are lost without our Creator. I know i am,. and there is many others out there who are like me. As a pot,we should listen to the potter who created us.

As pots and creation of our Creator it is rediculous to second guess the creator (potter) because
We are his Idea made into vessles, He can destroy us and make us over and He is in controll,
of what happens to us. It is better we ask God , or suggest that we would like if it be his will
God I am not strong in this area, God please strengthen this area be it your will.
or could you make this aspect of me more strong and appealing to other people ....
Pray and interceed with our maker to reform parts of us at his will in his time.....
It would be more to our advantage to thank Him for making us and to leave it to him
as to how to re-form parts of us as we give into him.

Our attitude should be one of thanks and expectation of what He will do in us
to make us usefull ... and not of demanding or saying I don't like this or that
and you must change it. He does not have to do anything and he will be more
into hearing Thanks for making me and knowing that we are pliable to changes
he may do in us.

Just as the potter has a reason or purpose in creating a particular pot or vessel, God also has a purpose for our creation.
Often as Christians, we will pray about something, then proceed to tell God how He should answer.
As Christians, we need to accept the fact that God created us how we are for a reason.

1. The pot is nothing in and of itself. It was created to serve a specific purpose. The pot has not the ability to create, no more or less valuable than its fellow pots.

2. We are constantly trying to advise God and maybe suggest improvements to his creation. We also think God should alter his plans for us and change the function we were designed for. We tend to tell God 'why don't you sit down there and let me you show how its done.'

3. Thanksgiving! We should be thankful that god is in control and that we have an avenue of communication with him.We need to remember that God makes no mistakes and that He created us.

Q1. (Isaiah 45:9-12) Why is it ridiculous for a pot to second-guess the Potter?
The Potter knows before he begins what the pot will look like. The Potter is the one in charge and the one that knows best. The pot has to submit to the Potter and to his will.

How do we Christians do this?
We think we know what’s best for us, and can handle things without God’s help. We soon find out that’s not a good plan.

What is a better attitude and behavior before our Creator?
We should obey God and submit to His commands. God has a purpose for us and we need to let Him be in charge. We need the simple faith of a child.

Q1. (Isaiah 45:9-12) Why is it ridiculous for a pot to second-guess the Potter? How do we Christians do this? What is a better attitude and behavior before our Creator?
The pot is the created object and can not see what the maker is making it for or where it fit in the greater scheme of things. That's the way it is with us we so want to be in charge but like Paul state now we see as looking in to a glass darkly. We can't see what is in our future or how we can best be of use to God in His Great Plan.

We as Christians think that we know what God expects of us and often others without seeking from Him His direction. We think that as Christians we have a better plan and this is our mistake trying to do for our selves things only God can do. We pray for things that we want noe what is best and in right standing with our Creator and God.

We need to remember Matt.6:33 Seek yee first the kingdom of God and His rightousness and all thing will be added. This means things God deems important to us not necessarily what we want for our selves. I often fall short here always wondering why I don't get my way in my time of trial especially and not like I should look to God the Creator th Author and Finisher of my faith.

Pastor Ralph, on Feb 14 2006, 07:49 PM, said:

It is ridiculous because the creation does not have the power and skill of the Creator. We do this by questioning the way God has planned our lives, or the things that He allows or doesn't allow to happen, but we should be grateful instead for all the good things He has given us, not the least of which is salvation.

It is ridiculous because a pot can'nt form itself without help, As christains we need God to form us, We have to have a better attitude in order to live a just life.

the pot has been made and doesn't know as much or better than the creator and doesn't know why it has been made we christians can't complain to God our creator because He is all knowing and knows why we are made the way we are made and our use

Q1. (Isaiah 45:9-12) Why is it ridiculous for a pot to second-guess the Potter? How do we Christians do this? What is a better attitude and behavior before our Creator?


For a pot to second-guess the Potter is like we second-guessing the Lord Creator: for us to question the will of God in our finite existence is probably no different to God, than for a lump of clay to begin to speak to the potter and question what the potter wills it to be.

Christians second-guess the Lord when we question why things happen to us or envy the gifts and talents of others and wish we had those same gifts.

The better attitude toward our Creator would be to humbly accept what He has for us: our circumstances, our personal characteristics (that are not in Biblical need of change!), and so on. He alone knows how to create and knows what we, as clay, need to mold us into the creation He would have us be.

It is not for us to second guess God’s actions because we cannot see the overall picture and read others hearts as God can. We have a selfish point of view that is very limited.
We Christians do this by expecting no calamities to happen to us.
A better attitude before our creator is, what does God want me to learn from this?

Pastor Ralph, on Feb 15 2006, 01:49 AM, said:

The Lord created us to experience good and bad, to excel and fail, to learn about life, and to believe and experience the Spirit of God. If we question what the Lord has done, that shows doubt.

Christians do this when they do not hold full faith in the Lord and to what he has done. what he does and what he will do. Also, many people do this when the get discouraged about God during which they try other solutions.

The best attitude to have again is to have full faith in the Lord, with all your heart and all your soul. Follow the path he has directed you to walk down even though there will be hills and valleys to conquer on the way. Believe in the Lord totally and you will live in the richness of the "Spirit of God".