Knowing the Potter’s Hand

Often our relationship with Jesus is based more on what we believe (belief systems) than on what we experience (personal knowledge). We have lots of information about God, but we need to deepen our personal knowing of Him.

Experiencing God is always relational.

There is an “objective” knowing of God – where we learn about God’s ways and character through study and teaching. We need this kind of knowledge of God, but if this is all we have of God we remain students only. To become fully devoted followers of Christ requires experiential knowing of God.

“God is known only in devotion, not in detachment.”

Arthur Benner

How does God speak to you? What do you long for in your relationship with God?

One way to deepen your experience of God is to develop your spiritual senses.

Hearing God speak in your life is multi-layered. Some of it can be intensely practical and down to earth, like reading the Bible. Some of it is intensely spiritual and can only be received, developed and deepened on a spirit level. As we develop our spiritual senses we can learn to wake up to the many ways God communicates with us.

“He awakens me morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as the learned, the Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious.”

Simple things like being woken up and prompted to pray or pray for someone is a way God stirs in us His desires. Learning to hear His still small voice – through Scripture readings, inner convictions or sometimes even the word spoken by a friend may be God opening our ears to tune into what He’s saying.

Another way He speaks to us if we are mindful, is through His creation and nature:

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

Do you see the fingerprint – the signature of God written in creation all around you? We cannot escape the truth that to know God and experience Him in deeper ways we have to open our hearts and lives to His truth, His touch and His will. This speaks to me of a lack of resistance to God, of malleability and flexibility.

Ultimately knowing requires surrender.

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Proverbs 21:1

When I choose to surrender to God in all circumstances I become malleable.

When I choose to do His will no matter what I become more useful in His hands.

Significant points in deepening our experience in God will require that we get to the Potter’s house and sit under His hands.

“God told Jeremiah, “Up on your feet! God to the potter’s house. When you get there, I’ll tell you what I have to say.” Jeremiah 18:1

Check out this clip to learn one aspect of being on the Potter’s wheel!