Surrendered and Victorious: The Potter and the Clay
"Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.’" (Matthew 26:39, BSB)
"For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." (Philippians 2:13, BSB)
(Credit: A.B. Simpson)
Imagine a potter shaping a lump of clay. At first, the clay resists, unyielding and stubborn, unwilling to take the form the potter envisions. The potter gently works the clay, softening it, patiently waiting for it to surrender to his hands. Once the clay yields, something miraculous happens—the potter shapes it into a beautiful vessel, both strong and purposeful, capable of fulfilling the design for which it was created.
Our relationship with God mirrors this process.
Step 1: A Surrendered Will
Like clay in the potter’s hands, we must first be willing to surrender. Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, exemplified this when He prayed, “Not My will, but Yours be done.” In that moment, He placed Himself completely in the Father’s hands, trusting His perfect plan. Surrender is not weakness; it is a conscious choice to let go of our own desires and allow God to shape us.
Step 2: A Victorious Will
Once the clay is pliable, the potter infuses strength into the vessel. Likewise, when we surrender, God transforms our will, empowering it with His strength and purpose. It is no longer our weak, human will striving to achieve but His victorious will working through us. As Philippians reminds us, God Himself is at work in us, making us willing and able to fulfill His good purpose.
Just as a vessel must be both molded and fired to serve its purpose, so too must our surrendered will be empowered to live victoriously in Christ.
Reflection Questions:
In what ways are you resisting the Potter’s hands?
How does the promise that God works in you provide confidence to trust His shaping process?
Are you ready to let God mold you into a vessel of victory for His purposes?
A Prayer of Surrender and Victory
Father, we place ourselves into Your hands, surrendering our will to You as clay in the hands of a loving Potter. Thank You for shaping and strengthening us to fulfill Your good purposes. Use us as vessels of Your glory, empowered by Your Spirit to walk in Your victorious will. Amen.
Final Thought
A lump of clay becomes its most beautiful and useful form when it yields to the potter’s hands. Likewise, when we surrender to God, He shapes us into vessels of His strength and glory, ready to fulfill His divine purpose.