我們是泥、祢是窰匠（賽六十四）中英bilingual

從古以來人未曾聽見、未曾耳聞、未曾眼見、在你以外有甚麼神為等候他的人行事．你迎接那歡喜行義記念你道的人、你曾發怒、我們仍犯罪．這景況已久．我們還能得救麼？我們都像不潔淨的人、所有的義都像污穢的衣服．我們都像葉子漸漸枯乾．我們的罪孽好像風把我們吹去．並且無人求告你的名、無人奮力抓住你．原來你掩面不顧我們、使我們因罪孽消化。（賽 64：4-7） 

在面對到百姓犯罪、屬靈生命沾染污穢而枯乾，以賽亞成為了那代求的角色。在這樣懇切的代求之下，是否能看見真實的罪過而悔改？神所要人做的，無非是行出神的公義。我們仰望神的憐憫之前，是否有先看見自己的罪過？或許，我們以為自己所行的善能遮掩所犯的過錯、以為自己所行的義能討神的喜悅，但在神面前，種種所行的都要被一一數算。 

因為真正蒙神喜悅的人，不是自認自己是完全的人，而是願意來到神面前認罪悔改的人。當人願意誠實地面對自己的過錯而悔改，神的作為才有更大的空間來施恩賜福。謙卑地認罪悔改，而歡喜行義、記念主道的人，才能滿有祝福、滿有盼望。  

耶和華阿、現在你仍是我們的父．我們是泥、你是窰匠．我們都是你手的工作。耶和華阿、求你不要大發震怒、也不要永遠記念罪孽．求你垂顧我們、我們都是你的百姓。（賽 64：8-9）  

令人欣慰的是：即使國家荒涼、聖殿被毀、百姓被擄，以賽亞仍滿有信心地相信：神是垂顧百姓們的阿爸父。我們是神手中的泥土，而神是窯匠，塑造著我們的生命，使我們成為那合乎主用的器皿。 「泥」代表人的有限、軟弱與可塑性。泥土本身不能決定自己成為什麼器皿，也不能靠自己成形。生命真正的價值不在於泥土本身有多出色，而在於它是否在窰匠手中。人若離開神，即便有再多的才華、名聲與成就，也只是未成形的泥；但人若願意親近神，即使破碎、卑微，神仍以祂「窯匠」的身分、用祂的大能來形塑我們成為合祂使用的器皿。這位窯匠不只赦罪憐憫，也塑造我們的生命。祂的手有時安慰、有時修剪、有時扶持、有時拆毀重造。對泥土而言，被揉捏並不舒服，被塑形也不一定立刻明白原因，但窰匠知道器皿最終的樣式。 我們不能只求神祝福我們已經決定好的道路，也要願意讓神重新塑造我們的心；我們也不能禱告時求神幫助自己成功，卻不願意讓神改變自己的性情；我們也不能求神開道路，卻不願意讓神修正自己的方向。  

我們生命中的等待、破碎、管教與試煉，正是神對我們的煉造與期待，我們只要承認神是窰匠，而我們是祂手中的工作。但首先，我們要願意成為神手中的泥土，神不是只在成功時才愛我們，祂在我們最軟弱時仍然愛我們。人的光景會改變，但神的愛不改變；人的信心會軟弱，但神的信實不改變；人的道路會偏離，但神的恩典不改變，我們雖有軟弱，但神永不離棄。 願我們在神面前常有謙卑柔和的心，不作剛硬乾裂的泥，而是作願意被主塑造的泥，使我們的生命能榮耀神、成為合乎主用的器皿。  

人若自潔，脫離卑賤的事，就必作貴重的器皿，成為聖潔，合乎主用，預備行各樣的善事。（提後 2：21） 

by吳逸群



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We Are The Clay, You Are Our Potter (Isaiah 64)

June 25,2026

“For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,

Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,

Who acts in behalf of one who waits for Him.

You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,

Who remembers You in Your ways.

Behold, You were angry, for we sinned,

We continued in our sins for a long time;

Yet shall we be saved?

For all of us have become like one who is unclean,

And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

And all of us wither like a leaf,

And our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.

There is no one who calls on Your name,

Who stirs himself to take hold of You;

For You have hidden Your face from us

And have surrendered us to the power of our wrongdoings.”

( Isaiah 64:4–7, NASB)

When the people sinned and their spiritual lives became defiled and withered, Isaiah stood in the place of intercession. In such earnest intercession, can one truly see sin and turn back in repentance? What God desires from His people is nothing less than that they practice His righteousness. Before we look to God for mercy, have we first seen our own sins?

Perhaps we assume that the good we have done can cover the wrongs we have committed, or that our righteous deeds can win God’s favor. Yet before God, all that we do will be brought into account. 

The one who truly pleases God is not the person who considers himself complete, but the one who is willing to come before Him in confession and repentance. When a person is willing to face his failures honestly and repent, there is greater room for God to work, bestow grace, and give blessing. Those who humbly confess and repent, who rejoice in doing righteousness and remember the ways of the Lord, are the ones who are filled with blessing and hope.

“But now, LORD, You are our Father;

We are the clay, and You our potter,

And all of us are the work of Your hand.

Do not be angry beyond measure, LORD, Nor remember wrongdoing forever.

Behold, please look, all of us are Your people.”

( Isaiah 64:8–9, NASB)

What is comforting is this: even though the nation was desolate, the temple destroyed, and the people taken into exile, Isaiah still believed with confidence that God was the Father who looked upon His people. We are the clay in God’s hand, and God is the potter. He shapes our lives so that we may become vessels fit for the Master’s use.

“Clay” represents human limitation, weakness, and plasticity. Clay cannot decide for itself what kind of vessel it will become, nor can it shape itself. The true value of life does not lie in how impressive the clay may appear, but in whether it remains in the hand of the potter. If a person departs from God, even with great talent, reputation, and achievement, he remains like unformed clay. But if a person is willing to draw near to God, even if broken and lowly, God, as the "Potter", will shape him by His power into a vessel useful to Him.This Potter not only forgives sins and shows mercy; He also shapes our lives. His hand sometimes comforts, sometimes prunes, sometimes sustains, and sometimes breaks down in order to rebuild. To the clay, being kneaded is not comfortable, and being shaped may not immediately make sense. Yet the Potter knows the final form of the vessel. We cannot only ask God to bless the path we have already chosen; we must also be willing to let Him reshape our hearts. We cannot pray for God to help us succeed while refusing to let Him change our character. We cannot ask God to open the way while refusing to let Him correct our direction.

The waiting, brokenness, discipline, and trials in our lives are often the very means by which God refines and shapes us. We need only acknowledge that God is the Potter and that we are the work of His hand. But first, we must be willing to become clay in His hand.

God does not love us only when we succeed; He still loves us when we are at our weakest. Our circumstances may change, but God’s love does not change. Our faith may grow weak, but God’s faithfulness does not change. Our paths may wander, but God’s grace does not change. Though we are weak, God will never abandon us.

May we always have humble and gentle hearts before God. May we not be hardened, cracked clay, but clay willing to be shaped by the Lord, so that our lives may glorify God and become vessels fit for the Master’s use.

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. ( 2 Timothy 2:21 NASB )

By  Yi-Chun Wu