A potter, from the beginner to the most experienced, starts with a lump of clay.
And starts to turn the potter's wheel. At first the potter's design isn't obvious. One might doubt whether there is a design in mind.
As the potter continues to work, to mold the clay, to push and change its shape, the clay reacts. If the clay is responds correctly, the expert potter can build a useful and beautiful pot.
As we see the form take shape, we may see possibilities. The potter has a detailed plan in mind. He might want to add to, or take away some of the form or shape, to make the design needed.
We might wonder, if changes are necessary. Perhaps the clay is uneven, or the the walls unbalanced. The potter can see that changes are necessary. If the changes are made in time, the mistakes can be remedied easily. If the the clay doesn't mold correctly, the potter knows that the pot will be useless, and must be discarded, or reformed.
So the potter takes care to mold and form the pot, patiently and expertly,
to make a pot that might have been hard to imagine before.
But, even after the shape is finished, the pot needs to be fired, and subjected to high temperatures, to harden the pot. Otherwise, the pretty shape is useless. But when, it is finished, the potter's design, care, shaping and firing produces a useful and beautiful pot.
When I read Jeremiah 18: 1-6, I think of what kind of clay I am.

"1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 Arise, and go down to the ^apotter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this ^apotter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."

Do I let the Lord mold me according to his expert and thoughtful design? Or do I resist, and try to keep my unbalanced spirit, to not yield to his at time firm, at other times gentile molding. Does He wonder if it is time to start over?

Is the clay greater than the Potter? What great works of art and utility can be produced by a The Potter, with clay that shapes and forms according to His loving and all-knowing workmanship!