References

Potter's Wheel
(Matt 4:16-17)

Lavelle Evans, a very artistic friend of mine, was in town the other day. He
called to ask me if he could bring his presentation to my church one Sunday
night. I wasn't even sure what it was he did. I knew it was something "artsy". It
seemed like a nice change of pace for a Sunday night so I invited him to take
the evening service. His presentation consisted of sculpting a bust of Christ
while he softly spoke about the life of Jesus. There is no way my explanation
could do it justice. He began with what appeared to be a huge lump of clay.
He added facial features, hair, and a beard as he spoke barely above a
whisper, music swelling beneath his voice. Naturally, Lavelle illustrated to us
that God is the potter and we the clay. All of this was well done but not
unexpected by the discerning ear of an experienced minister like me.

Then he stopped talking. The music got louder, the lights grew darker, and
the fog machine filled the room with clouds. The music was interrupted every
few seconds by a whipping noise as Lavelle dragged his clay tool across the
body of the bust, creating a stripe on Jesus. Then he pushed down a crown of
thorns upon his head. Theatrical blood poured down his face and filled the
stripes created by the clay tool. He then pulled up a wooden cross that had
been hidden as part of the supporting structure of the lump of clay.

Before us all, as the music swirled and lights gleamed, Jesus hung on the
cross for the sins of the world. There was not a dry eye in the place. I wept
audibly. Everything I had been thinking, feeling, and imagining just exploded
inside of me all at once. The sacrifice of Jesus made many years ago was as
close as a heartbeat in that moment.
After church, I could not even speak to people. I was at the altar. I think some
of my deacons thought I was finally getting saved. I was not about to leave
the presence of the Lord in that moment. It had been so long since His work
on the cross had hit my soul like a sledgehammer that way, and I needed to
say a lot of things to Jesus just then. So I did.

Excerpt from A PASTOR'S HEART written by Eddie Thompson,
Pastor and author.
www.alabasterpublishing.com



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