August 26, 2020 “The Cracked Pot” Psalm 139:14
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:14)
Have you ever felt that you were too weak, too inexperienced or too imperfect to be used by God to fulfil His purposes? If you have, then it's time that you know that it is not our faithfulness, but God's faithfulness and the presence of Jesus in our lives that empower us to live out the greatness that God has meant for us. Folks, God made us to serve Him and fro us to Praise and Worship Him and to be Productive for Him. “WE are wonderfully made…” With our flaws, shortcomings, human limitations, and all that we are, we can and must be faithful to God’s calling on our lives and we need to focus on the mission, not our human limitations! (I am excited to be a “CRACKED POT” for Jesus!)
“A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. “Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?” “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. In this world, nothing goes to waste. You may think like the cracked pot that you are inefficient or useless in certain areas of your life, but somehow these flaws can turn out to be a blessing in disguise when we devote our lives, flaws and all, to God’s service.” (Author Unknown)
Everyone one of us have our own unique challenges, however, when we are faithful to God, He will empower us to fulfill the Divine purpose that He has ordained for us to do! Our challenge today is to recognize our limitations, and to embrace them and enjoy them and to recognize that God will take our flaws and shortcomings and will use them for, HIS intended purpose for us, so that we will be strong, mature, dependable examples of His love and amazing Grace! Remember, we cannot change the unfolding and prophesied plan of God, but we can Keep growing, Keep believing, Keep receiving, Keep claiming, KEEP SERVING and Keep on Keeping on, regardless of our perceived or real limitations! God has got this, now and in the future!! I am excited to serve and to be of service and I am comforted in knowing that THE WORLD IS NOT MY HOME, I AM JUST PASSING THROUGH! Praise God, He is not finished with us yet! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…Remember – THE BEST IS YET TO BE!