wdw - My father wasn't a preacher... in fact, although I grew up going to a chruch, it probably was "symphonix" dad's church, cause I didn't learn or have a clue about anything. Of course, that changed when I was 18, and it had nothing to do with that church.
The Bible uses the analogy many times over that we are formed from clay. When a potter creates something out of clay, it is for the purpose of the potter. If the potter wishes to create a cup, he may do so, if he creates a vase, that again is his call. He is the creater.
Here is one example in scripture: Romans 9:14-24 (viewed in context)
14_What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15_For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. 16_So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy. 17_For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: For this reason I raised you up: so that I may display My power in you, and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 18_So then, He shows mercy to whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills. 19_You will say to me, therefore, "Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?" 20_But who are you--anyone who talks back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"
21_Or has the potter no right over His clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor? 22_And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction? 23_And what if He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy that He prepared beforehand for glory-- 24_on us whom He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
Since I am by no means an expert on this discussion, I found some helpful information to explain this...
"Hath not the potter power over the clay - And much more hath not God power over his creatures, to appoint one vessel, namely, the believer, to honour, and another, the unbeliever, to dishonour?
If we survey the right which God has over us, in a more general way, with regard to his intelligent creatures, God may be considered in two different views, as Creator, Proprietor, and Lord of all; or, as their moral Governor, and Judge.
God, as sovereign Lord and Proprietor of all, dispenses his gifts or favours to his creatures with perfect wisdom, but by no rules or methods of proceeding that we are acquainted with. The time when we shall exist, the country where we shall live, our parents, our constitution of body and turn of mind; these, and numberless other circumstances, are doubtless ordered with perfect wisdom, but by rules that lie quite out of our sight. But God's methods of dealing with us, as our Governor and Judge, are dearly revealed and perfectly known; namely, that he will finally reward every man according to his works: "He that believeth shalt be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned."
Therefore, though "He hath mercy on whom he willeth, and whom he willeth he hardeneth," that is, suffers to be hardened in consequence of their obstinate wickedness; yet his is not the will of an arbitrary, capricious, or tyrannical being. He wills nothing but what is infinitely wise and good; and therefore his will is a most proper rule of judgment. He will show mercy, as he hath assured us, to none but true believers, nor harden any but such as obstinately refuse his mercy. Jeremiah 18:6,7 "
It is hard to know what the creator of the banner had in mind, whether it was this verse or other verses... but the general rule in the Bible is that we are molded from clay... meaning we have a creator. When you go to the store and you buy some glass cups, do you think, "oh, this must have been dug up from the ground?" or do you say, "Wow, someone made these very nice." Emphasis should be on "made"... someone MADE them. They were created by someone.
In a world that understands the manufacturing process very well, understands the engineering and time that goes into all these gadgets that we use... it is hard to believe that something has detailed as the human eye, happened without a creator.
One scientist (his name escapes me) was famous for his work on studying mosquitos. In fact, he spent most of his life studying them. On his death bed they asked him... if he had to do it all over again, what would he spend his life doing, and he replied, "I'd study only the mosquitos wings."
How amazing are even the finest details and the smallest things in this world. Their design is awesome and beats anything man can make or ever replicate.
I was once told the easiest way to distinqish that which God has created and that which man has created... is that the closer you get and explore the created item... if created by man, you will start to see the flaws the closer you get, but with God, you will be amazed at just how much more detail is in that which you can't see at first glance.
