The Overflow! The Potter and the Clay

Supplies: Bible and Play Doh or modeling clay

You may use one of the recipes below to make homemade play dough or purchase some play doh or modeling clay at the store. (If you have young children, they will enjoy making the homemade variety with you!)

Pass out the play dough and just have fun playing with it. Ask everything to make something out of their “lump” of dough. As you create things, explain to your children how in the Bible God calls himself the Potter and He refers to us as the clay (Read Isaiah 64:8). As your child begins with a lump of clay, ask what he/she plans to do with it. Dream together about what God might do with your child’s life (Read Jeremiah 29:11)

Ask these questions:

*How is God like a potter?
*How are we like clay?
*Did that play dough get to decide what it wanted to be made into? (NO)
*Who decided what the dough was going to be? (You did).
You are like a potter right now. You are shaping the clay! So if God is the Potter and we are the clay, who gets to decide how you are made? (God)
* Is that play dough arguing with you about what you are shaping it into? (no)
*Should we argue with God over the way He made us?
*What do you like about what you’ve made? Do you think God likes how He made you? (Eph. 2:10)
*What do you like best about how God made you?

Parent, take some dough and begin to make something, then quit with a sigh, “I’m just tired of creating. I’m not going to finish this masterpiece.” See how your child responds. Then ask, “Do you think God starts a masterpiece but forgets to finish it?” (Share Phil 1:6 and assure your child that he/she is a work in progress that will indeed be finished. God never gets tired Psalm 121:3-4) and He never quits what he’s started.

Let’s pray and thank God for promising to finish what He’s started!

Option #2 (for older children or competitive personalities)

Before you begin, make index cards naming simple things that your children could shape with clay. Such as: car, desk, ball, chair, child, book, flower, etc. Then, invite your family to play a rousing round of Guess that Masterpiece! Choose someone to be the “potter” and have that person draw a card naming what he/she should shape. Set a timer for one minute. The Potter shapes the named item while the rest of the family guesses. (Think Pictionary, but with 3 dimensions!) Keep score as you wish- giving 2 points for the Potter who shapes something that is accurately guessed within the time limit and 1 point for the person who guesses correctly.

Once the game is over, explain to your children how in the Bible God calls himself the Potter, and He refers to us as the clay (Read Isaiah 64:8).

Discuss the following questions:

*In the context of our game, who knew all along what the “masterpiece” was going to be? (The Potter) Does God know what we are going to be when He is finished with us? (Yes! Read Jeremiah 29:11).

*Why did we make some wrong guesses? (We guessed what the masterpiece was before it was done, we didn’t see it with the same eyes as the Potter) Have you ever judged someone wrongly about WHO they are? God says we are ALL His workmanship and we have all been created in His image. We need to try to look at people through His eyes. (Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 and Ephesians 2:10)

When you were the Potter, did you ever want to quit before your time was up? Why? Does God quit before He is finished with making us the people He wants us to be? (No, Share Phil 1:6 and assure your child that he/she is a work in progress that will indeed be finished. God never gets tired (Psalm 121:3-4) and He never quits what he’s started.

Let’s pray and thank God for promising to finish what He’s started!