Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Prayer: The Potter's Hands


Strong hands hold
a shapeless lump;
clay to be pounded and kneaded
until, even textured and air-freed,
it is supple-smooth for the potter's wheel.

The swift-spinning motion;
pressuring hands that pull
and draw relentlessly into center -
for what is not centered must be put away;
only centered clay can yield its inmost.

Clay thus opened to shaping action -
hand moving steadily
pulling

raising

widening

asking for the form that is hidden in the clay
hand strong in supportive stillness
speaking its own unceasing demands.

To one-in-answer; to the other in trust
the clay

pulls

rises

widens

surrenders the form hiding in itself....
becoming one with the potter's will
until spent and shaped
is freed to wait for the time
to confirm into hardened shape
in dialogue with the potter.

Not as a final respite,
but only to be turned
so that what is not perfect may be revealed
and placed ruthlessly
beneath the cutting tool,
until, smooth-grooved and time-hardened
it is purified by fire into final shape;
now enabled to receive
color and shine from another's hand -
final surrender to the potter's wish.

Lord Jesus,
it is your hands
that take
and knead
and center
and open
and support
so that clay can yield itself
in obedient answer and trusting surrender
to your loving, painful action
that draws, relentlessly, into God-center,
so that open,
yielding,
totally one with your loving will
it is freed to wait
and confirmed in shape
and burnt in fire
and clothed in color-
to delight the heart of its potter.

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