They told the shop owner, "We must have this tea cup. It is so unique and so beautiful. We've never seen another like this!"
As they were admiring the teacup, they could almost here her story.
“I haven’t always been like this,” the teacup said.
“There was a time when I was a hard, ugly lump of gray clay. No one wanted me….except the Master Potter. One day, He picked me up and began to work me in His strong hands, molding me, pounding me, and rolling me in His grip.
I cried out, ‘Stop that! It hurts! It is too painful! Leave me alone!’
The Master Potter smiled gently and simply said, ‘Not yet.’
Then He put me on a wheel where I began to spin and spin and spin. I felt sick. I felt dizzy. I wanted to slow down. I wanted to get off! All the while as He spun me, He continued to shape me and mold me. I screamed, ‘Let me get off! Stop! Stop!”
But, the Master Potter just smiled and said, ‘Not yet.’
Finally, He took me off of the wheel. As I was admiring my new shape, the Master Potter scooped me up and put me in a large furnace. This oven was hotter than I could have ever imagined. I began screaming!
Help me! I am going to die! I can’t take it! Don’t you love me? I can’t survive this! Get me out!’
But, the Potter just watched through the glass. I saw Him kindly say, ‘Not yet.’
Just when I thought I would be destroyed from the heat, the Master Potter took me out of the furnace. I was relieved until He began to paint me. The paint was horrible. I began to choke on the terrible smelling fumes.
I cried out to the Master, ‘Please, please, please stop!’
He smiled gently and said, ‘Not yet.”
“Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited ——- and waited, wondering "what will happen to me next?" I happened to see my reflection and as I did, I said, ‘That’s not me; that couldn’t be me. It’s beautiful. I’m beautiful!’
Quietly he spoke: ‘I want you to remember, then,’ he said, ‘I know it hurt to be shaped and molded, but had I just left you alone, you’d have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around in circles on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if you had not been there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn’t done that, you never would have been strengthened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn’t put you back in that second oven, you wouldn’t have survived for long because the strength would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you.”
Author Unknown
I keep hearing in songs, and different places the encouragement that if God started the work in you, then it's a sure sign He has plans to complete it. He hasn't given up on you so don't give up on yourself. He sees something wonderful in you and He will help bring it out. Philippians 1:6 says this..."I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
Another blog will be coming soon based upon this one verse...it's just really been on my heart lately.
I can't wait to share more with you later!
Thanks for reading!!
