Precious People Yielding to their Potter.

Oh my, how I have been encouraged by the Lord through his sons and daughters.
Currently, I sit in my office space, listening to a friend's worship compilation as my mind floods with encouragement that I have received throughout the day.
Isn't it refreshing to see people live their lives solely for the sake of Jesus and His will? Isn't it encouraging when you watch people function in their gifting for the glory of the Lord and not selfish gain?
One thing I've noticed in many of my actively-seeking-God friends, is that they have a passion, but they also have a rest and a peace. They let the Spirit flow through them. They rest in the fact that they are God's, and He is theirs. Their identity is secure.
The rest that God gives is so foreign to this fallen world. Seriously. This sinful world, and my sinful flesh, is full of strife; pushing myself to do something, to get somewhere, to accomplish a goal. What could be a peaceful smile turns into a tense and focused frown... so not beautiful!
So I rest; I rest in the fact that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; He has all power, His is everywhere, and He is all knowing. What a wonderful, awe-striking God.
The "20 Somethings" group at my church has been studying through Isaiah and I have been brought to a sobering reality of human pride and God desiring humility in His people.
"Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward me is taught by the commandment of men, therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.' Woe to those who seek deep to hid their counsel far from the LORD, and their works are in the dark; the say, "who see us" and, "Who knows us?" Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; for shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?
-Isaiah 29:13-16
I am now reminded of the God-inspired words of Paul that say, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in HIs presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God- and righteousness and sanctifications and redemption-that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
1 Cor. 1:26-31
I think the reason why I am so encouraged by these friends in my life is that they know who they are; they know they are weak and they have a humility about them that is precious. They know who they are, but more imporatantly, they know who God is. They aren't like the clay who says to the Potter, "He did not make me". No, they say, "Hey, look who is forming me.... look who has made me! Look, it's He!!! His given me these gifts so that I can give them back to Him. Look to Him and give glory to Him! He is my potter, I am His clay."
God so desires a broken and contrite heart; people who yield to Him and whose pride is laid low. I guess it's not that He hates those who are prideful, because He loves them; He just needs to break them, and that's a hard thing to come to terms with.
So as I'm encouraged by these precious, humble, God-yielded friends in my life, I encourage you to yield to the Potter and let Him mold you exactly as He pleases.
Amen.