I awake in the middle of the night to the sound of my Father’s pottery wheel. I leave my bed and follow the sound to His workshop. The smell of water and clay is a sweet aroma. I see Him at the wheel praying over a piece of clay. I walk over and watch His hands. His hands are large and covered in clay and water. He looks at me and smiles. I ask Him what He is doing and He says, “Making a masterpiece.” I watch as His hands work the clay and I begin to witness the making of a masterpiece. He slowly forms the clay from the bottom up, never rushing. With great care the vessel starts to form. I watch as He removes pieces that will hinder the use of the vessel. He begins to sing over the clay, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. You will be my masterpiece.” Before I know it, I’m singing with Him. As we sing, the vessel takes a beautiful shape and He delights in my excitement at the work of His hands.
As the wheel slows He examines the work of His hands. I ask Him what He’s going to do with it and He says He is going to put it in the fire. “But Father, won’t the fire destroy the vessel?” He replies, “No little one. The fire will cause the vessel to become solid and sturdy. Some vessels come out of the fire ready to be used. Others sometimes come out with cracks but I have never had one come out destroyed.” I watch as He places the vessel in the fire and He begins to sing over the vessel, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. You will be my masterpiece.” I watch as the fire engulfs the vessel without consuming it. The color of the vessel starts to change and then I see them…small cracks start to form in the vessel. The Father sees my concern but He just smiles. When the fire dies down, He removes the vessel and sets it on a table. He asks me what I think and I look away sheepishly. How do I tell my Father I don’t like what I see? All those cracks have ruined His work.
He asks me, “What should I do with it?” I tell Him to throw it away because it is ruined. He says, “You are right. It cannot be used in its present state but what if we could fill the cracks? What then?” Before I can answer He has a brush in one hand and a small pot of melted gold in the other. I watch as His hands meticulously start to fill the cracks and He begins to sing, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. You will be my masterpiece.” As He fills the cracks with gold the vessel begins to come to life and I see its beauty. He fills the last crack and again asks me what I think. “Father forgive me. I didn’t understand. I’m so glad you didn’t throw it away. It’s truly a masterpiece and the gold reveals your glory.” He looks at me and kisses my forehead and says, “Little one, I never throw away a vessel, even one with cracks. The deepest of cracks can be repaired with time, patience and love thus increasing its value. Do you now understand?”