At the Potter's House

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:1-4

Last Tuesday I literally went to the Potter's House! It was my second visit, this time accompanied by some friends and partners from the Christian book and music trade. About three years ago I visited Albert Brouwer, a Christian potter, working and living in Tollebeek. After my first visit I started working on my book VORM MIJ (Shape Me) and during this second visit we had the chance to see with our own eyes what Jeremiah saw about 2600 years ago!

Several journalists came to the potter's house to look and listen and two of the gospel artists who were involved in the CD production also turned up: Gert Visscher and Annemieke Koelewijn. We had three short 'sessions' with a Bible study, discussion and a demonstration. Inside the potter's house we witnessed how capable hands shaped the clay smoothly on the wheel into the image the artist had in mind before he started molding... The clay was shaped painlessly as long as it stayed in the centre of the potter's will - on the wheel. If the clay was not cooperative, the potter took it off the wheel to pound it some more and remove some impurities... Outside we could see the oven where the fire could finish the process (cleansing and strengthening). Water evaporates and the clay turns into stone, an irreversible chemical change. After cooling down and finishing off, the clay pot becomes useful for the maker. Just think about this biblical metaphore and feel free to share your thoughts with me and with the other blog readers!

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8


Photo copyright: RIK BENNIK [GMI]