Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.

     We are the clay, you are the potter;

     we are all the work of your hand.

- Isaiah 64:8

After reading through Isaiah 64 together, a friend shared this image with me.

When you work with wood, there is usually some measure of imperfection in each piece of timber that you use. Some will try and avoid that imperfection, or perhaps cover it up; others will stubbornly work in spite of that imperfection; the sign of a master woodworker, however, is that he or she is able to take that imperfection and incorporate it into the beauty of the overall design.

God is the ultimate master craftsman. He takes our weaknesses and turns them into his strengths; he creates beauty out of ugliness; he uses our imperfections to accomplish his perfect will. And in doing so, he demonstrates his glory. Paul knew this:

But [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Don’t be afraid of your weaknesses; pray that God will use them as an opportunity to show his power. Don’t pray for the removal of hardships, persecutions or difficulties (Paul tried this – read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10); instead, pray that God will bring glory to himself through them.

And he will make a thing of great beauty out of you.