The Teacup

"Can I Not Do With You As This Potter Does? Declares The Lord. Like Clay In The Hand Of The Potter, So Are You In My Hand.'

Jeremiah 18:6

A couple went into an antique shop and saw a beautiful magnificent little teacup sitting high upon a shelf. And they just fell in love with that teacup.

They said, "We have got to have that teacup!" They were admiring the teacup – when all of a sudden the teacup began to talk to them.

It said, "You know, I have not been always like this. There was a time when nobody would have wanted me. There was a time when I was not attractive at all. You see there was a time in my life when I was just an old, hard, gray lump of clay. And the Master potter came along and He picked me up one day and He began to pat me and reshape me; and I said, "Stop it! What are you doing? That hurts! Leave me alone!’ and He simply looked at me and said, "Not yet!"

And then He put me on this wheel and He began to spin me around, and around and around! And I got so dizzy and could hardly see where I was going anymore! I was losing it! Everything was spinning around and around and I felt sick to my stomach. And I said; "Let me off of here!" and He said: "Not yet!".

Finally, the day came when I had taken on another shape. All of that spinning around finally gave me another shape. All of that patting and molding and squeezing and pinching gave me another shape. And all of a sudden – He put me into this FURNACE! It is called the first firing. And it was so hot in there!

Oh, I could not believe how hot it was. I thought, " I can’t stand this! I’m going to DIE in here! "GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! Don’t you love me?? (Crying.) Why are you leaving me in here?"

You see, the oven door had glass in it and the Master would just look in with His eyes, but He wouldn't let me out!! He would just smile at me and say, "Not yet!"

FINALLY, the oven door opened and he took me out – set me on a shelf and I thought, "Whew! Thank God that is over!".

Then He began to paint me all over with this stinky paint! Changing my color from gray to this pretty blue that I am now! And I said: "This stuff stinks! It is choking me! (coughing) I don’t like this smell!"

STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!’ He would just say: "Not yet!"

Then He put me back in a SECOND oven. It is called the second firing, and it was TWICE as hot as the first oven!

And I thought, "Now, I will DIE in here for sure! This is the end of me. This will finish me off! Get me out of here! I can't stand it! I can't stand it! Really – I am telling you – I can’t stand it! This is going to kill me! Get me out of here!"

 And He would just look through that glass and say: "Not yet!"

Then one day the door finally opened – He took me out and He put me up here on this shelf to let me cool off. After I cooled off, one day He came by and He handed me this mirror and I looked at myself and I could not believe how BEAUTIFUL I was!

I could not BELIEVE how I have CHANGED!

Why, I did not look anything at all like that old gray clay that I started out to be!

Now, I am this beautiful, little, delicate teacup. And everybody wants me now. But there was a time in my life when nobody wanted; nobody liked me; nobody paid any attention to me! They just kicked me around; walked on me.

But now – "I am special! But I wasn't always this way!”
 
The Teacup ~ Joyce Meyer
 

I got up this morning and checked a few things on the computer before heading to work.

I received a message that likened me to this story, I have never heard this story before and when I got the message, I was completely clueless when she stated I was like the tea cup.

Of course once I got to work the first thing I did was search for it.

Made a mental note to seriously invest in some waterproof mascara and set about sharing this with you all.

How perfect is this story while looking back at all the fires you have traveled in your life. To truly be able to see just how you were before you entered and then how you were when you exited.

To see the Mercy and Grace He has shown upon your life, to know that no matter how hot the fire is/was/is to come, He will never, ever leave your side.

Thank you S for the comparison, it is truly beautiful my friend.

MARK SCHULTZ
And When All Hope Is Gone
And I've Been Wounded In The Battle
He Is All The Strength That I Will Ever Need
He Will Carry Me