Skip to main content

You Are A Masterpiece!

I have always considered myself fairly creative. I am somewhat musically inclined. I love to draw. There have been times when I did crafts and scrapbooking, etc. and there are things I would love to learn to do better ~ like photography. I also like to write...you can be the judge of my talent in that department.

Tonight, I was reading the first chapter of Genesis and was awed anew at the creativity of our God. Realizing that when He started creating the world - the universe - none of it existed other than in His mind. I look at the hugeness and complexity of our universe - galaxies, stars, solar systems. Then proceed from there all the way down to the smallest particles - cells, atoms, protons, neutrons. Do you have an idea of the complexity of a single cell in your body? Not to mention all the bodies of all the other animals some with very minute differences in cell structures that make them entirely different creatures? And, of course, everything in between. "Who can fathom the mind of God?"

Not only is He creative, He is orderly. Everything created in a specific order so that creation was building upon itself. No living creatures or plants until He had the whole water and light situation worked out.

In the end, on the final day, He said, "Let's make man!" Humankind. I've often wondered why He did this. We have caused Him nothing but trouble from day one it seems. Yet, He did - not out of need but as an expression of His love. After He created man, He looked at all He had done and He thought it was VERY good. I think there should be a much bigger superlative than that there, but I honestly can't think of a strong enough part of speech to describe God's handiwork.

I know a lot of people - most people - including me who struggle with self image. We constantly are down on ourselves because we don't like the color of our eyes, or our hair, or the shape of our rear end, too tall, too short...you get the picture. But God LOVES you! He made you. Criticizing yourself is like criticizing God's handiwork and Genesis 1:31 says God's handiwork is very good. I love a verse in Ephesians 2:10:
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Did you know the Greek word for workmanship is 'poema'? Look familiar? It means poem or masterpiece. God is writing His poem on you and on me!

Now, I'm not giving us all permission not to try and improve on things we need to work on. There are always areas for growth and improvement. What I am trying to say is...start where you are and accept where you are today. Ask God to show you places you need to change and then allow Him to write your poem verse by verse. Even the great poets started with blank slates. Know that God loves you just like you are because He made you! You ARE a masterpiece!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Leaving Your Nets

Matthew 4:20 "AT ONCE they left their nets and followed Him (Jesus)."  Matthew 4:20 records the response of Peter and Andrew to the call of Jesus to be his disciples. They literally walked off the job and into ministry. We have the advantage of viewing this story with hindsight and the scripture, but Peter and Andrew were in the moment... Jesus was a hometown boy, a carpenter. He hadn't really started his ministry, yet. Surely he had been preaching in the area and the disciples knew what kind of man he was. But still... Fishing was a major industry around the Sea of Galilee and most fisherman belonged to family owned business. Can you imagine old Zebedee's face when somebody walked in his "office" and told him Peter and Andrew had taken off with the new preacher? How do you go home and tell your wife that you walked off the job for a ministry with no pay? How do you feed your kids? Their security was gone. Their income was gone. Possibly a few r

Love's Pure Light

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12 I have a confession.  I have been more than a little 'bah humbug' this year. I don't really know why. We are settled in our new house this year. Grandkids have come and gone and are still coming and going. It's been a beautiful, tropical Florida Christmas season. We did a great program at our church. And, yet, I'm just not feelin' it...  Until tonight. Tonight was our annual Christmas Eve candlelight service at church. It is undeniably one of my favorite services every year and is always packed. Tonight was no different.  During the weeks leading up to the holiday, our pastor has been preaching a series of sermons called "The Light of Christmas" from the first chapter of John. Our Christmas musical was also themed around the light. And tonight, I saw the light. Because I was singing with our Praise

Inspired by Obedience

And He said to all, "If any would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:20 - 21 I have only known in my life one person that truly personified those verses. In 2009, one of our youngest, most energetic ministers was taken to the hospital emergency room with chest pain. He was healthy and athletic. He taught PE at our local high school. This trip to the hospital began a journey that would last the next three years and affect more lives than anyone could have ever anticipated. Mike Storter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Mike immediately began treatments for his disease and for a short period during these years was considered cancer-free. It was a