belief

3:14

| JoyfulArtist
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

3:14

Most people would look at that number and associate it with the mathematical term Pi. For me for many years though it was the numbers of my digital clock, glaring at me in the darkness.

After my second bout of depression, this was the time I woke up at in the early hours of the morning. At first I thought I was imagining it but as the days and weeks went on, the realisation set in-I was waking up at this time every morning.

It was like a jolt. Suddenly I would be wide awake and my eyes were automatically drawn to the clock, hoping and praying I would see a different number, but no, there it was…3:14.

Why am I bringing this up now you may ask. It’s simple really. It’s back! It’s almost like an old friend who you haven’t seen in awhile turning up on your doorstep. It doesn’t scare me or make me feel that I’m staring into the dark place that is depression again. It’s more like a warning. Like when the petrol light flashes on your dashboard- you haven’t run out of petrol yet but you will if you don’t do anything about it.

At the moment we are living in very strange times. There is fear and uncertainty and there seems no end to the virus I spoke of in my last post. Many people are in despair, losing jobs, loved ones, missing friends, homeschooling….I could write an endless list.

3:14….I know that just like that petrol light, if I don’t do anything, that number will become an all too familiar sight. It is no coincidence that the Bible verse I’ve included has 3:14 in the reference. As someone close to me reminded me tonight, there is always someone in a worse situation than yourself. Reading this verse it brought to mind my purpose as a believer and follower of Christ. I have to keep going every day with His help and press on towards the goal set before me. My life is not my own but His. It was paid for on Calvary. As my pastor says, we are saved to serve. So my purpose is to press on and serve and glorify Him and I encourage you to do the same.

Thanks for reading.

Birthdays, Creativity and Beliefs

| JoyfulArtist

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!

Jeremiah 18:1-6

As a child I used to watch a programme on tv called The Generation Game. Sometimes the contestants would be given the task of making something out of clay on a Potters wheel. They were given a demonstration first by a professional potter who of course made it look so simple. Sometimes they had trouble enough keeping the clay on the wheel. The amateurs’ attempts were just that. They often in no way resembled what they had been asked to create it. This is what I was reminded of when I read the verses from Jeremiah. I’ll come back to this in a mo.

Its my birthday soon, one which I will not spend with the Squid or Ginger Kitten. It is not a milestone birthday either. It does however mark another year since I was born. I don’t feel my age, I never have and no doubt I ever will. It’s not that I am in denial, I just like my mum and her mum before her have a youthful outlook on life.

So of course with birthdays come celebrations. I had an early one this year with my BFF. We spent a special time together and one that will be memorable. For as long as I remember, we have been creative together. As teenagers we made things and in our 20s, we attended a quilting class together. So to celebrate this birthday my BFF was taking me to a place you could choose a piece of pottery, paint it and take it home after coffee and cake of course.

Unlike the contestants on the game show, We didn’t have to make our piece of pottery. There was a huge selection to choose from so we chose plates to decorate. We then had to choose sponges with which to decorate our plates. We had great pleasure spending time discussing what colours we would use, what theme our plate would have, which sponges to use and then got on with it. I stopped a few times thinking I was finished then added on a few more details. We had really enjoyed the experience and I’m planning my next visit already.

While I was there, I was reminded of these verses in Jeremiah.God had a message for Jeremiah and He put it across in a very visual way. Jeremiah was obedient to the Lord and went and watched the potter at work. As he observed the craftsman who no doubt had made vast numbers of vessels, the one he was working on became marred. An unusual word – just the kind I like. Marred means that something has been ruined or spoiled, the flaw that makes something outstanding less than perfect. I have a flaw, many in fact. You dear reader have a flaw, as does all of humanity and it is called sin. All of us were fearfully and wonderfully made in our mothers’ wombs and yet we are all flawed.

Thankfully, the potter whom Jeremiah visited did not cast the lump of clay aside rendered useless. No, he made a new vessel out of it. Then God revealed to Jeremiah why he was really in the house of the potter. He had a message for Jeremiah and therefore a message for us. The Lord is the potter in our lives. He believes in second chances. He believes He can take something marred and make it into something new.

So it’s my belief that although I have been marred by past experiences, God will not cast me aside but will make me anew, a living , serving vessel for Him.

We’ve been blessed with sunshine recently on this little isle and so today I decided to get some sketching done in the early evening. Sunshine lifts our spirits and motivates us and encourages .

It also makes me feel joyful on my journey to joy.