What does the Bible say about the potter and the clay?

In Romans 9, the Apostle Paul draws upon the imagery of a potter and clay to convey God's sovereignty in shaping individuals according to His will. He emphasizes that God, as the potter, has the right and authority to make vessels for different purposes from the same lump of clay. The critical point is that all humanity originates from the same sinful nature, described as one lump, yet God chooses to create some as vessels of honor and others as vessels of dishonor. This illustrates His absolute power and decision-making authority over creation, as seen in Jeremiah 18, where God asserts His right to mold His people as He pleases, underscoring that His decisions are motivated by His mercy and love rather than human merit.