When I first heard the song “Canvas and Clay” by Pat Barrett I was struck by the beautiful imagery of this line…
“When I doubt it Lord remind me, I am wonderfully made. You’re an artist and a potter, I’m the canvas and the clay.”
Canvas and Clay, Pat Barrett
God is constantly at work in our lives. Like a master artist He paints the beautiful canvas of our days with His love, peace, grace and provision. Even when we can’t see it or feel it He is working and moving in our midst. God is also constantly working in us. Moulding us like the master potter moulds His clay into a glorious masterpiece that displays His goodness, love and life to the world.
So how do we partner with God in this journey? How do we learn to ‘let go’ and let the Master Artist & Potter have His way in and through us? Here are a few keys that I’ve found helpful in my own walk:
- Put Jesus at the center. Invite Jesus into every aspect of your life. Discover who He is by reading His word and spending time in His Presence. Know your identity in Christ: who you are in Him and who He is through you. Be sensitive to His Spirit and His leading by developing intimacy with Him.
- Receive His love. Be rooted in His love for you and let it permeate the depths of your heart and soul. His perfect love casts out all our fear and reminds us that we are fully known, accepted and loved by Him.
- Choose to trust Him. Amidst the unknown, the circumstances you don’t understand, and times of doubt, choose to trust Him. Trust in His Word, in His goodness and faithfulness and that He is a good good Father.
- Have a teachable heart and spirit – Be willing to be moulded and transformed by Him. Quick to hear His voice and obey. Be bold in asking for Him to continue to mould you to be more like His Son and have His way in and through you.
I want to echo Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 regarding spiritual growth. This is my prayer for you:
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May, you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
To listen to “Canvas and Clay” by Pat Barrett click here.