As Marden was coming down from one of the cliffs many of the Claytons in the wilderness looked up to see him coming with the two clay tablets. The Claytons saw bright flashes of lightning and heard roaring sounds of thunder, as the cliff seemed to be surrounded with smoke. Marden approached the Claytons who had gathered in the center of the wilderness trembling with great fear. As Marden walked closer to the crowd of little clay people he explained to them not to be afraid.
The little clay people were encouraged to know that if they follow the ten instructions that things would go well for them and their children. Marden assured them that if they walked in the way that the potter had instructed that they would surely be able to go back to the land of Clayton and be prosperous. The main thing that the Potter wanted the Claytons to do was to remember the original fall of Clayton and Amissa and that they were all broken. He wanted them to realize that no matter how low in the wilderness they lived they were still broken and in need of being refined by the Potter.
The very presence of Marden seemed to brighten the land of the wilderness, because he had been refined by the refiner’s fire. The glow engulfed the Claytons and their eyes were opened to the reality of their brokenness that over the years they had learned to deny. After gathering things the little clay people started the journey back to the land of Clayton, being led by Marden. At times there were so many obstacles in the way back to the top of the cliffs that many of the people began to complain and feel hopeless.
The Potter had given Marden wisdom to know what to tell the people, so without placing blame upon the ancestors, Marden explained that the path they are having to go back up was the same path that the ancestors had chose to come down. As the ancestors chose to move further away from where the Potter wanted them to be they never realized that their choices would effect future generations.
Some of the Claytons were so discouraged they wanted to turn back instead of facing the situation. They believed it would be easier going back down to the wilderness than finding a way over some of the huge rocks that were along the path. Marden spoke words of encouragement and urged them to keep the faith. He told them that if they kept their eyes up-word and believed that they were following the Potter’s will, they would show their trust and be able to come over the obstacles that were in their way. There was a legend that began with the future Claytons that told this is where the word “overcome” came to be.
The Claytons persevered and eventually made it to the edge of the land of the Cliffs which had become known as the land of Clayton. Once assembled together Marden again went over the ten instructions that the Potter had written upon the clay tablets. Instead of being thankful that their journey was almost complete, many of the Claytons began to grumble among themselves when they looked back over the cliffs. “If we would have fallen we surely would have been broken to pieces,” they raved.
After a great journey they eventually made it to the land of Clayton. As time passed many of the Claytons believed all they had to do was follow the ten instructions, without going to the Potter to be refined. The Potter was saddened that many of the Claytons would not recognize their broken state and need for refinement. The Potter knew that soon he would have to live among the Claytons to give them an example of what they were to do. To be Continued…
Originally written April 12, 2000.
~TRS
Rays of Hope 