An antique table sat in the darkened corner deep within the attic of an old, decrepit home until one day it was discovered by someone who had an eye for natural beauty and a craftsman’s hand.  As the master carpenter brought the table into the light, he noticed the deep scars of neglect as well as the worn and faded stain that once made it look priceless. To the average eye, this table didn’t appear to be of any value to anyone.  Yet the master carpenter knew that the real value of the table was priceless.  He tenderly loaded the table bringing it home with him while being mindful of its frail and weak frame.  His intent was to begin the intentional process of restoration. 

We are pliable clay in the masterful hands of the potter

We are too often like this antique table.  We have experienced the deepest and darkest wounds of emotional pain, doubt, sin, and brokenness.  We experience feelings of being forgotten, worthlessness, or even self-hatred.  When anyone looks our way, we believe that all they can see are the scars left by the pains of the past.  We fear that they see the weary and worn-out desperation that we feel.   

But God, who is faithful and good, merciful, and full of grace, sees the real value of his son and daughter.  He draws us back to himself with His Spirit and begins the process of intentional restoration.  What we have neglected, our relationship with Him, He masterfully works to restore fulfilling His promise to finish the work that He has begun in us.  We are pliable clay in the masterful hands of the Potter.  He is crafting and restoring a marvelous, priceless work.  He renews our minds with His tender instruction, opens our eyes to His power and might, and stirs our hearts with conviction and commitment.  All the while, we are being transformed, we are being renewed, we are being restored to an identity, a walk, a life, that is abundantly full in our love for Him and His love for us.

Too often we allow the hurts of the past, the hopes of tomorrow, and the pressures of conformity to be our sole source of identity.  Life is hard.  Its hardships tend to wear on us, causing depression, guilt, shame, anger, fear, hopelessness . . . Brokenness.  We then see ourselves in the light of that brokenness where we tend to look scarred up, useless, and worn out.  But we are not to believe those lies.  In the eyes of our Heavenly Father, we are not useless nor worn out, we are priceless.  In his hands, we are a masterpiece and are to walk restored.