Yielded and Still

About this episode

The episode reflects on the life of Adelaide Pollard and how God shapes our lives for His greater purpose.

Not much is known about Adelaide Pollard, and that’s sort of the point. She was a humble servant of God who wanted no recognition for herself. At the age of forty, she felt a strong calling to be a missionary to Africa, but that door was closed to her, leaving her greatly discouraged. Yet Adelaide was reminded of a verse: “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand” (Jeremiah 18:6). Later, she penned a hymn with these lyrics: “Thou art the potter, I am the clay.” The image in Jeremiah has much to speak into our lives today: “The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him” (Jeremiah 18:4). This is a picture of how God reshapes us into His better purpose. Whatever we think we should do and be, God may have another shape for our lives: “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand” (v. 6). Eventually Adelaide did go to Africa, but it may be that God’s shape for her life had more to do with other things—perhaps writing that hymn, “Have Thine Own Way,” which has inspired millions in the…

Topics covered

• faith
• God's purpose
• humility
• missionary work
• spiritual growth

Keywords

• Adelaide Pollard
• missionary
• hymn
• God's shaping
• spirituality

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Have Thine Own Way, Thou art the potter, I am the clay

Places: Africa, Jeremiah

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