Clay in the Hands

If you have ever been in my office and seen my “collection” you may question whether or not I am a very tidy person. I have mementos of years of ministry – each with a story. Some might call it clutter and they might be right to a degree, but they are reminders of God’s work that He has allowed me to be part of and witness.

One of those objects has been with me for almost twenty years and it might be time to let it go.

In my last post, I encouraged each of us to reflect on Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I am God.

The object that may need to go is my daily reminder to do just that – be still and know. Many years ago, I read a book by Ruth Haley-Barton titled, Invitation To Solitude and Silence. In that book, Ruth used an illustration that has stayed with me. She described our lives as a glass of river water with sediment swirling around making the water cloudy. Her point was that if we allow the glass to sit still, the sediment will eventually settle to the bottom and the water will become clear.

When I read that illustration all those years ago, I immediately found a jar and went outside to the flower bed and scooped up some dirt. I then added some water and sealed the jar off with its lid. When I shake the jar, the water becomes brown with west Texas soil. But when I allow it sit idle, the dirt finally settles to the bottom, allowing the water to become clear again.

This jar has been on my desk for almost twenty years now as a reminder to sit still regularly and just know that God is God and I am not. Things normally become much more clear when I take the time to be still.

As I picked up the jar last week to give it a shake, I noticed that not only are the contents now completely disturbing after being in there for so long, but now the lid has begun to rust to the point that I got a little shower. So . . . into the trash it must go.

But not before I could write about it here.

Today, take some to time to be still and know that God is God. There is a good chance that whatever you are facing will become more clear as you do.

Now, to go find a new jar!