Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled God's Molded Instruments was written by Ruth Wan-Low.

Considered one of the greatest video games ever made, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda,

Acherina of Time, has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide. It's also

popularized the Acharina, a tiny, ancient, potato-shaped musical instrument made of clay.

The Aquarina doesn't look like much of a musical instrument. However, when it's played by blowing

into its mouthpiece and covering various holes around its misshapen body, it produces a strikingly

serene and hauntingly hopeful sound. The Aquinas maker took a lump of clay, applied pressure and

heat to it, and transformed it into an amazing musical instrument.

I see a picture of God and us here. Isaiah 64, verse 6 and verses 8 through 9 tell us,

all of us have become like one who is unclean. Yet you, Lord, are our father. We are the clay. You are the potter. Do not be angry beyond measure.

The prophet was saying, God, you're in charge. We're all sinful. Shape us into beautiful

instruments for you. That's exactly what God does. In his mercy, he sent his son

Jesus to die for our sin, and now he's shaping and transforming us as we walk in step with

his spirit every day. Just as the ocarina maker's breath flows through the instrument to produce

beautiful music,

God works through us, his molded instruments, to accomplish his beautiful will, to be more and more like Jesus.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Isaiah chapter 64 verses 5 through 9.

You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.

But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry.

How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is

unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind,

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