Hands of The Potter
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Posted: March 4, 2023
Author: Leslie Wittenmyer Galatians 2:20, New King James Version “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” |
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Personally speaking, I know that in the midst of hurt, struggle, and chaos that it is hard to see what good can come from it. We are all affected by a manner of things from the time we are born, to the time we become adults, and even into our adult lives. The events of our life shape our beliefs, our morals, and our values. With this in mind, what does it mean to be “crucified with Christ?” Let us look at scripture from Galatians 2:20 (NKJV). It says this, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
When Christ Himself was crucified, He did not just take on the physical pain of the crucifixion; He also took on our sickness, sins, and iniquities. When we come as new Christians, believers in Christ, we don’t just say that we believe, but we repent from our sins. John the Baptist and Jesus Christ both preached, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2 NKJV, Matthew 4:17 NKJV) What does it mean to repent? In the Hebrew it can be defined as such: to turn back, to turn around, to change the mind; relent. When we repent we are turning from our sin, we are repenting from sin, we are changing our minds. This is not something that is temporary but the way we choose to live throughout the rest of our lives.
In repentance, we will feel grieved and sorrowed for our sins. Even when we look back at the pain and the struggles that we have faced in life, it was like a refining process. This process is not pleasant. God must remove all the dross from our lives.
Proverbs 25:4, (NLT), “Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith; remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.”
Malachi 3:3, (NLT), “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.”
Our repentance brings transformation which therefore brings righteousness. When we come to Christ, we lay these things at the altar, at the cross where it belongs. When we’ve left our offering at the cross, the old life, and we pick up the new life, as Paul states, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”, we begin to walk in the life God has called us to. In this, the Lord uses our past for His glory. The Bible tells us “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28, NKJV).
Ultimately, we give up the desires of the flesh, though it can be painful, and we pick up our cross daily, living the life that Christ has called us to. This life will be filled with trials and temptations, but it isn’t anything that Christ has not provided a way out from. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV)
When I look back on my life, I see the struggles and the pain, but I look back at it rejoicing. Why do I rejoice? Because I don’t just see the struggle and the pain, I see the transformation taking place within me to be who God has called me to be. I thank God, that He is so merciful and loving to take a sinner like me, and make my life into something beautiful. I thank God that He doesn’t just do that for me, but my dear brothers and sisters, He does that for you as well!
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NKJV)
When Christ Himself was crucified, He did not just take on the physical pain of the crucifixion; He also took on our sickness, sins, and iniquities. When we come as new Christians, believers in Christ, we don’t just say that we believe, but we repent from our sins. John the Baptist and Jesus Christ both preached, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2 NKJV, Matthew 4:17 NKJV) What does it mean to repent? In the Hebrew it can be defined as such: to turn back, to turn around, to change the mind; relent. When we repent we are turning from our sin, we are repenting from sin, we are changing our minds. This is not something that is temporary but the way we choose to live throughout the rest of our lives.
In repentance, we will feel grieved and sorrowed for our sins. Even when we look back at the pain and the struggles that we have faced in life, it was like a refining process. This process is not pleasant. God must remove all the dross from our lives.
Proverbs 25:4, (NLT), “Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith; remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.”
Malachi 3:3, (NLT), “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.”
Our repentance brings transformation which therefore brings righteousness. When we come to Christ, we lay these things at the altar, at the cross where it belongs. When we’ve left our offering at the cross, the old life, and we pick up the new life, as Paul states, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”, we begin to walk in the life God has called us to. In this, the Lord uses our past for His glory. The Bible tells us “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28, NKJV).
Ultimately, we give up the desires of the flesh, though it can be painful, and we pick up our cross daily, living the life that Christ has called us to. This life will be filled with trials and temptations, but it isn’t anything that Christ has not provided a way out from. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV)
When I look back on my life, I see the struggles and the pain, but I look back at it rejoicing. Why do I rejoice? Because I don’t just see the struggle and the pain, I see the transformation taking place within me to be who God has called me to be. I thank God, that He is so merciful and loving to take a sinner like me, and make my life into something beautiful. I thank God that He doesn’t just do that for me, but my dear brothers and sisters, He does that for you as well!
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NKJV)
