THAILAND — Clay covered Crossworld worker Rebecca’s hands as she pushed her hair out of her face with her arm. She’d been crouched over her pottery wheel for an hour and needed a break before fighting with the clay again.

No matter how hard she tried, the clay refused to be molded into the vase she envisioned. Annoyed, she washed her hands and leaned against the counter, staring at the mound of clay mocking her.

I guess I won’t be making anything today, she said to herself.

A few stations over sat Taay, who was carving and molding her creations with care. Taay had been giving Rebecca pottery lessons for the last six months and they’d become friends.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” Taay asked Rebecca without looking up.

“I’ll go to church in the morning and then catch up on laundry,” Rebecca replied.

Before Rebecca could return the question, Taay asked, “What church do you go to?”

“The international church at the university, not far from here,” Rebecca said.

“Are there lots of Americans there?”

“Yes because it’s in English, but we also have a lot of Chinese, Korean, Thai and people from other parts of the world too. The sermons are translated into Mandarin and Thai.”

Taay didn’t reply immediately, and Rebecca felt God putting an invitation for Taay on her heart.

“There is also a great Thai-speaking church on the other side of the city,” Rebecca said. “If you want, you can join me tomorrow. We could go to the Thai church. They always serve lunch afterward. Are you free?”

Taay thought for a moment and then responded, “No.”

Rebecca’s heart sank. But she gave a smile and said, “That’s all right, I understand. Maybe another time.”

Taay nodded before returning to her work.

As Rebecca sat back down at her wheel and stared at the lump of clay that refused to be molded, God reminded her how discipleship is like pottery. She couldn’t force the clay into a vase immediately, but it needed time to form and rest. So, too, Taay’s no today could simply be a not yet.

“The Holy Spirit is working in her heart, and I have to be patient,” Rebecca said.

Will you pray that one day, in God’s timing, Taay will become a beautiful spiritual masterpiece?

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