Friday, August 22, 2014

PSALM 135 - The Little Pot That Would...

Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Give praise, O servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of the Lord our God! Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to His name, for it is pleasant! For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself; Israel as His own possession.  (Verses 1-4)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love, He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 1:3-5

 The little earthen jar sat cooling on the shelf after she was removed from the kiln. Beside her were ornate, larger vases created to grace the homes of millionaires, perhaps. One was clothed in a coating of real silver and its lips were lined with large amethysts that sparkled even in the inglorious lighting produced by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling in the storage room where they waited. On the other side of the little jar was a "special order." A hand-built planter on which intricate scenes had been carved by the master potter, whose wheel fashioned world-renowned creations. So when the potter took the earthen jar from her place and wrapped her carefully in tissue paper, the jar thought only of the ignoble purposes she might be used for. Probably on my way to a souvenir shop in the city. It was all right, though. She knew she hadn't been designed for greatness. A mundane knick-knack at best. A runt of a creation. An afterthought of the potter, maybe just an excuse for him to use left over clay. The detritus from the lovelier vessels.

The smaller jar joined the lovely masterpieces in the back of the potter's station wagon where they traveled down country roads toward the big city shop in which most of them would be displayed. The gorgeous ones, who deserved grand attention and would command exorbitant prices, talked excitedly among themselves. Expressed great hope of being in His great mansion. The One Who came often to shop, wanting to find just the right piece, and Whose great halls were filled with just the kind of light that made clay vessels shine in a way they'd never dreamt of. But the little jar kept silent. She knew she was created for function. Not beauty. Never had any hope, really, of being on display in the grandeur of the Man's place.

The potter pulled up to the rear door of an upscale shop on Main Street. Left all his creations with the shop owner. Hey, you made a mistake! The little jar wanted to jump up and down. I'm not supposed to be with these others! But, of course, the potter couldn't hear her. Hours later, the shop owner lifted the little jar from the box and unwrapped the bubble wrap and the tissue paper that hid her from view. Disappointment registered on the lady's face as she turned the jar over and over in her hands. "Hmmm..," said the woman as she studied the diminutive vessel from every angle. "Hmm..," she said again. Calling a sales representative over, the owner said, "Come look at this one."

I know I'm not like the others. I didn't ask to be here. The potter made a mistake. A shameful thing. Not good enough. I wish they'd stop looking at me that way.

The saleslady took the jar from the hands of the shop owner and wandered around the lovely gallery within the shop deciding where to put such a thing as that. It seemed to the earthen jar to take forever, making her feel even more out of place and ugly. Finally, at the very back of the shop, the woman made room for the jar on a dusty shelf seldom used and almost out of sight. There she was left all by herself.

Days and weeks went by. From her perch on the shelf, the small vessel watched as wealthy and important people wandered the galleries of the shop, sometimes fingering the lovelier creations saying "ooh" and "aah" as they wondered at the craftsmanship and beauty of the many pieces of artwork sprung from the potter's wheel. Sadly, no one noticed her sitting hopeful on her shelf.

The day came at last when the bells hanging from the entry door to the shop jangled in surprise as they announced the coming of the Man. All the magnificent creations sat up a little straighter; put on their best faces; shone bright as possible to display their loveliness and worthiness to Him. They held their collective breath. This was the moment they'd waited for!

Our little pot wriggled down in shame on her shelf, fearful that He would notice how small and worthless she was next to the gleaming and intricate works presenting themselves in all their glory. That's why what happened next so stunned and changed the insignificant jar. The Man said, "I've come for the magnificent creation on that shelf over there," and He pointed toward her. "I want it for My own." And He smiled broadly.

"That one?" The shop owner was incredulous. She actually pointed her long skinny finger toward the dusty shelf at the back of the store.

"Yes. Yes!" He replied. "I absolutely love it!" Then the Man pulled out His money clip. "Here," He offered. "I'll pay three times what you're asking for it! That's how much I want to take it home with Me."

"No. No," replied the shop owner. "That pot's not worth nearly that much!" She pushed the money back toward the Man.

"Maybe not to you," He said, "but I have just the place to display its beauty."

As the Man walked back to the shelf where the little  pot sat shivering in fear, the others gaped. "What?' she heard them whispering to each other. "She's nothing, that silly pot!"

But when He picked her up and held her to the light, gently blowing away the dust that had gathered in her cracks and crevices, He smiled. "I've always wanted a beauty like you," He cooed to the little earthen jar. And the bell jangled cheerily as the Man walked out with His treasure.

Chosen because...because we are chosen. That's it. Not because we are grand and glorious. Not because of our potential and power. Not because we are better than the rest...or worse. We are chosen by God because He decides to make us His. That's all. Often God walks past the most likely candidate for His benevolence, straight to the ones we think deserve it the least. And God gets to choose for Himself His own possessions. Praise God for His eye for beauty. For His prescience in our lack of potential. For knowing just where we fit into His glorious kingdom. Stand in the house of the Lord and sing! For we are all little jars of clay God picked by grace to adorn His courts forever!!!

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