Clay and Grandma's Roomba
What does clay have to do with your grandma’s Roomba?
Heck, your grandma may not even use a Roomba. You may even be a grandma who still uses the Kirby Legend II.
That’s what my grandma used, I think.
These two items, clay and Roombas, seem about as different as items can be. This may be true in most ways, but they are the same in one fundamental way: both rely on an outside force to give them utility, or life.
God’s relationship to clay is somewhat reflected in your grandma’s relationship to her Roomba.
Consider…
It Feels Like Free Will
Some people, many people, most people, are comforted by the idea that they have something called “free will,” and that this can somehow light the spiritual lamp that leads to God.
It can make someone feel spiritually productive, and proud, even, to assume that they found God of their own volition.
Undoubtedly, from our subjective human perspective, it feels as if we have free will. We don’t feel someone else’s will being pressed upon our own, while pulling on our skinny jeans in the morning.
No one finds themselves picking up a glass of milk against their will. If we want to pick up the glass, we do, and if we don’t want to, we don’t.
But, again, this is the subjective experience of being human. It is, in my case, the five-foot-eight point of view.
When we speak about free will, as it pertains to God, we must embrace God’s billion-foot perspective.
It’s only when we do this that the illusion of free will melts away.
Whenever we’re in doubt, we must consult Scripture.
Scripture and Free Will
What does Scripture say about this free will thing?
Paul, in Romans 9:21, writes, “…has not the potter the right over the clay, out of the same kneading to make one vessel, indeed, for honor, yet one for dishonor?”
Does Paul intimate, anywhere in this passage, that the clay can work its own will against the will of the potter?
No way.
Paul is speaking about God’s sovereignty over His creation. The potter, laboring over clay, has every right to make whatever he or she wishes from the lump of clay before them.
The same is true of a painter. The paint doesn’t tell the painter what to paint. The painter determines how the paint is used, and to what effect.
That is God’s relationship to us.
Paul echoed the truth found in Isaiah 64:8, which says, “Yet now, O Yahweh, You are our Father; We are the clay. And You are our Former, And the work of Your hand are we all.”
God is an active Creator. He’s not passive, or merely spectating from the sidelines.
He is engaged with His creation, having tweaked it, like a very expensive watch, to play out just the way He has willed.
[S]eeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all: to Him be the glory for the eons! Amen! (Romans 11:36)
People, generally, don’t have a problem getting on board with the idea that God is in control when something good happens to them, but support for God’s sovereignty dramatically falls off when something not-so-good happens.
Nevertheless, we are assured, again and again throughout Scripture, that God is in control of everything. Not some things. Not a lot of things. Everything.
Even the bad stuff.
Former of light and Creator of darkness, Maker of good and Creator of evil. I, Yahweh Elohim, made all of these things. (Isaiah 45:7)
How about this?
Consequently, then, it is not of him who is willing, nor of him who is racing, but of God, the Merciful. (Romans 9:16)
Or this?
Consequently, then, to whom He will, He is merciful, yet whom He will, He is hardening. (Romans 9:18)
If you’re still not sure whether God is in control, calling all the shots all the time, I’d like to introduce you to my close and personal friend, Job.
Job’s So-Called Free Will
Everyone knows the story of Job, right?
Did Job freely choose for the Adversary to kick the crap out of him, all up and down the land of Uz?
No reasonable person would suggest as much.
Not even your grandma believes that! Why? Because your grandma has a valid eyeglass prescription, and she can read the following:
There was a day when the sons of Elohim would come to station themselves before Yahweh, and the Adversary came also in their midst.
Yahweh said to the Adversary, From where are you coming? Then the Adversary answered Yahweh and said, From going to and fro in the earth and from walking about in it.
So Yahweh said to the Adversary, Have you set your heart on My servant Job? For there is no one like him on earth, a man flawless and upright, fearing Elohim and keeping away from evil.
Then the Adversary answered Yahweh, saying, Does Job fear Elohim gratuitously?
Have you yourself not hedged him about, and about his house and about all that is his all around? The work of his hands you have blessed, and his cattle breach forth throughout the countryside.
Nevertheless, now put forth your hand and touch all that is his. He shall assuredly scorn you to your face.
Hence Yahweh said to the Adversary, Behold, all that he has is in your hand, but you must not put forth your hand upon himself. Then the Adversary went forth from Yahweh’s presence. (Job 1:6-12)
Does it say Job was in the room, when God and the Adversary were chatting about him?
Nope, the Adversary got permission from God to smack Job around. The only caveat was that the Adversary could not “put forth [his] hand upon [Job].”
Job had no say in the matter, whatsoever.
Job had no choice but to endure what was coming to him. He didn’t deserve all the horrible things that happened to him. Yahweh even said Job was “a man flawless and upright.”
But the fact remains: Job’s life was destroyed. For a while.
In his despair, Job questioned God, demanding answers about his plight.
I’ll include a small portion of God’s response, which, to me, is one of the most sublime flourishes in all of Holy Writ.
Who is this who darkens counsel By declarations without knowledge?
Belt up your loins now like a master; I shall ask of you, and you inform Me.
Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell if you know with understanding.
Who determined its measurements--for surely you know! Or who stretched out a tape upon it?
On what were its sockets sunk? Or who directed its cornerstone in place,
When the stars of the morning jubilated together, And all the sons of Elohim shouted with joy?
Who shut in the sea with double doors When it rushed forth, it came forth from the womb,
When I made a cloud its garment And murkiness its swaddling band,
When I set My statute upon it And broke bar and doors,
When I said, Unto here shall you come but shall not proceed farther, And here a limit is set to the pride of your billows?
In all your days have you ever instructed the morning? (Job 38:2-12)
Job, functionally, was a lump of clay, in the Hands of the Potter.
Despite how Job felt, subjectively, God was guiding him through the trials he experienced, without his consent.
And, by the end of it, Job was better off.
Back to Clay and Roombas
Untouched, how much agency does clay have? Can it nod its head, or wink? Can it flip you the bird? Can it go down to the corner store and buy a Yoo-hoo?
Not that I’ve ever seen.
Why?
Because clay is, essentially, a wet lump of mud. It’s only when a potter sits down to shape it with his or her hands—pushing, pulling, and poking—that the clay takes on utility, or life.
The same goes for your grandma, and her Roomba. She has to get behind the proverbial control panel of the Roomba. She has to unpack the machine, turn it on, and confirm that its infrared and photocell sensors are in working order.
Only then can the Roomba learn the blueprint of your grandma’s ranch-style home, doing what it was made to do, slurping up all the dust and cat hair that has accumulated.
The same is true of God.
He’s ever molding and forming us to fall in line with His divine will.
We are the clay, and He is the Potter.
He pushes and pokes us. He bends, breaks, blinds, and builds us up. Sometimes, He hurts us. Sometimes, He “rescues us out of the jurisdiction of Darkness” (Colossians 1:13).
So, pull on your skinny jeans, crack open your Yoo-hoo, and rest in the knowledge that God is in full control.
With Grace,
Concordant Student
Great article, brother. I’ve written more articles on this subject than any other. Understanding God’s sovereignty is the most fundamental truth one can be given.
Woohoo!
I can’t fit in skinny jeans. But, I love YooHoo! Maybe the two are related.
Awesome truth, my brother!!