Instructions for the teacher:

The children are each given a couple of oz of clay such as “skulpey” clay to play with
just after you read the verse & first paragraph- that way you can discuss how stiff the
clay is at first and show them they have to “work” it out to shape it and mold it. After
class either take & bake the creations to return to each student next week or if possible,
bake creations on-site before end of class - takes about 15 min. at 250 for skulpey.

This lesson was originally created for a mixed age group of children & I included on the
last 2 pages copies of the hand-outs for older and younger children.

There may be personal reference & information within lesson plans that I share from my
own experiences that you can “tweak” to fit your own situation- or feel free to share my
story as “someone you’ve heard of” or “a friend”.

Feel free to use these lessons for Sunday school, church or home school- but they are not
to be sold for profit.

We are the Clay:

"But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; and we
all are the work of your hand," ISA 64:8.

The Lord says He wants us to be as clay in His hands. Think how a potter will take the
clay in his hands, work it, roll it, and shape it according to any design he wants. Not all of
the process is easy. Some of it is hard work.

Have you ever worked with raw clay? Well, I have. It is very stiff at first. The clay
doesn’t want to bend to your hand. You have to really work with it before you can even
begin to shape it into something beautiful - or it just won’t work.

I got to make a whole set of plates one time with a very talented artist in Boca Grande.
The first thing she had me do was to break the clay down. You know how I did that? I
broke off a chunk and threw it down. Again, and again until I was just exhausted from
working it over, I threw the clay and beat the clay. I wasn’t trying to hurt the clay, but it
was too stiff. It wouldn’t “mold” into the shape I needed it to until I really worked it over
and softened it up.

The Lord doesn't ask us how He should bring about the shape or condition He desires
from our lives. I didn’t ask the clay what it wanted to become. I made it into the beautiful
thing I knew it could be. Each person has their own character, personality, and traits; the
Lord deals with each person as an individual.

The Lord Jesus washed His disciples' feet to teach them, and us, a very important lesson
about this topic. Watch what happens:

In JOH 13:6-8 we read about when Jesus wanted to wash the feet of his disciples. "Then
he (Jesus) came to Simon Peter: and Peter said to him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know
hereafter. [But Peter still had a problem with the idea of Jesus washing his feet- even
though Jesus himself had just explained to him that he didn‘t understand now, but that he
would understand later why Jesus wanted to do this]

Peter said to him, Thou shalt never wash my feet [Peter just could not fathom the idea of
his Master washing his feet- he thought it should be the other way around- It‘s not that
Peter was being ugly to Jesus- he just was holding on to his own ideas instead of
REALLY listening to the Father].
When Peter said “You will never wash my feet” Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not,
thou hast no part with me."

Jesus is teaching Peter that if he would not allow Him to wash him, he would be outside
or separate from Him.
Why was it important that our Savior wash Peter's feet? What are the lessons?

When the Lord washes our feet, it pertains to our walk of life. It speaks of our attitude,
actions and sanctification. It is a picture of our redemption from sin. We have to be
washed, clean from our sin. That doesn’t mean that we will never do anything wrong
again. Obviously, Jesus was the only perfect person who walked on the earth. But, once
we are cleansed- we are able to be free from sin. We give ourselves to Him to be washed
clean- we are HIS and we can then allow him to work on us until we are the thing of
beauty that He wants us to be. There is another lesson here- one of the things He wants to
change in us - is to give us a heart that serves others first. The heart of a servant.

Peter resisted Jesus because he did not understand the lesson Jesus was teaching him; he
wasn't able to be as clay in the Potter's hand and let the Lord do the molding. He wanted
to prescribe, he had his own ideas of how it was supposed to go - and the Lord said no. In
this scenario Jesus is teaching us that He is the master Potter; we are only clay.

We need to come to realize what we read in ISA 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts."

Jesus said:
"You call me 'Master' and 'Lord,' and you speak rightly, for so I am. If I, your Lord and
Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash each other's feet; for I have given
you an example that you should do to each other as I have done to you." By this Jesus
meant that all who follow him should help and serve each other, instead of seeking great
things for themselves.

It isn’t easy. We are stiff & set in our own ways. We naturally want what we want - He
has to create a great work in us to shape us into the unselfish beautiful people He wants
us to be.

Have you submitted to the hand of the Potter? Do you only want His way for your life or
do you still hold on to the idea that you should do what you want to do, act the way you
want to act? Are you willing to let Him work & give you the heart of a servant?
Who do you think is truly a “happier” person:
1. someone who has given up their own ideals and seeks ONLY God’s will for their life
2. Or someone who goes out into the world and accomplishes the things that seem to
make them happy?

I have a challenge for you this week. I want to challenge you to take some quiet time
each day - just you and God- and read some scripture. Either start with these verses or
read some of your own devotional plan- but each day spend some “one-on-one” time with
the Father & pray. I want you to ask God to show you what it is that He wants from you.

WE ARE THE CLAY

"But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; and we
all are the work of your hand," ISA 64:8.

Questions for quiet time with God:

(You can write the answers out as God begins to reveal them, as He moves in your heart)
1. God what kind of a person do you want me to be?

2. How do you want me to treat other people?

3. What kind of words do you want me to use?

4. How do you want me to act with my family - when no one else is around?

5. How do you want me to act when others are watching?

6. Am I willing to let Him do this work in me - to be His instead of my own?

Quiet time daily:

Sunday- ______________________
Monday- _____________________
Tuesday- _____________________
Wednesday-___________________
Thursday- ____________________
Friday-_______________________
Saturday- _____________________
Is there something special that God is working on in your life that you’d like to share ?

(younger children)

WE ARE THE CLAY

"….. we are the clay, and you are our potter; and we all are
the work of your hand," ISAIAH 64:8.
Remember- Jesus wants to teach us to serve others first!
We can let Him mold us into the people He wants us to be!
Draw a clay pot below & color it in: