“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10
Every artist is known by the beauty of their masterpieces. DaVinci has his Mona Lisa; Michelangelo has his Sistine Chapel; Van Gogh has his Starry Night; and God has you! The word “workmanship” in the Greek is “poeima,” where we get our word “poem.” Think about that for just a moment:
The God who breathed the beauty of the Aurora Borealis that takes our breath away...
The Creator who expresses the playful passion of His majesty through the diversity of life and explosion of color filling the Amazon Rainforest...
The One who made the snow-capped mountain peaks and the valleys of white sand beaches with her crashing waves...
THAT God calls US the pinnacle of His artistic joy, as we are the only works of His hands ever said to be marked with the signature of His image upon the canvas of our souls. And our God makes no 'copies.' He only creates originals. As Paul notes in Colossians 1:27, the way Christ is expressed in you reflects a "hope of glory" that will never be reduplicated in the history of civilization. Such kindness led King David to cry out:
"When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
Psalm 8:3-9
God lovingly and patiently knit every detail of your body, soul, and spirit into a beautiful tapestry, and he takes great delight in you. It is time to stop looking in the mirror and judging what you see in a way that argues with the One who made you. God made you a masterpiece and has come to breathe over you until you see what he does!
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” Psalm 139:13-14
I am praying grace over you today, that your ears may be attuned to hear every delight the Master Artist is speaking and closed to the tired soundtracks of shame and self-criticism. May you hear your delighted Creator, friend. And as you begin to believe Him, I await with the rest of creation for the precise brush strokes of radiant joy in your story that release His glory.
QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION:
1. Be honest and list the things about yourself that you struggle to embrace, that you dislike, or that you are insecure about. Ask him to show you how he sees you and to break any wrong beliefs you are holding about yourself.
2. List as many things as you can that God made about you that you truly like. Thank him for each.
3. Take a few minutes and write a “psalm” to God. It doesn’t have to rhyme. Just write out your feelings, tell him what you are going through, and pour out your heart to him right now.
Prayer: Abba, I receive the truth that you beautifully made me just as you want me to be. With all of the resources of heaven, you chose to make a “song” in me unlike anyone who has lived before me, or who will live after my days are through. Show me the uniqueness of my beauty, and let me dance in the song with you today, Abba! Reveal and help me to break wrong agreements and things that have been spoken about my worth from me or others. Help me to see myself like you see me. Amen.
Listening Time: Stop for a few minutes and ask the Lord what he wants to say to you. He may bring to mind a picture, a word, a song, an encouragement, a scripture, or an answer to something you’ve been praying about. Don’t rush and don’t feel under pressure to figure it out. Just invite him to speak and write down what you hear. Afterward, ask God to help you discern and understand what he is saying to you. You may want to ask other trusted friends in the Kingdom as well.
Tools for family devotions: Give each person in your family a sheet of paper. Write your name on top. Pass the papers around so that everyone writes at least one unique quality they like about every person in the family.
Tools for praying for others: Ask the Holy Spirit to lay a friend on your heart who is struggling with their worth and identity. Ask God what He says about them and for an opportunity to share it with them. Pray for them to see what God sees.
Adapted from "Life in the Overflow Devotional" © 2017 by Chuck Ammons, with Cindy Ackerman and Chris Thomas. Available on www.amazon.com
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