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Piece of Art

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“For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14, NASB

16809784779_e90b547c98_bFaithful. Loving. Creator of beauty.

Recently, my Tidbits of Truth segment ended with a question: “What will  you and I treasure about Christ today?” And I jotted down the above–snippets of who God is.

GOD IS FAITHFUL…

I always come back to this characteristic. Knowing the Lord will never leave me hanging and never leave period fills me with tremendous comfort. Whenever the road of life curves into darkness–leaving me anxious, afraid, or perplexed–I know God is faithful. I’ve experienced His faithfulness many times over. Though undesirable circumstances sometimes occur, I always can count on God’s resilient reliability. He’ll come through whether I understand details or not. He won’t fail.

GOD IS LOVING…

He loves me more than I can imagine. How could He Send. His. Son. to die … for me? I’m so accustomed to hearing this awesome truth that honestly, the wonder doesn’t always wash over me. But maybe if I’d witnessed Jesus’ precious back torn by whips or His strenuous walk bearing the cross on open wounds–His blood dripping from above onto the dust from which He made man–maybe then the wonder of His love would permanently penetrate me every waking minute. Yet even though I lack so much in my response to Him, He loves me still because God is love.

GOD IS CREATOR OF BEAUTY…

I live in a family of artists. Painting, drawing, music, and other art forms touch my life through loved ones. The older I get, the more I  appreciate God-given talent and skill. I love to hear artistry flow through my son’s guitar and my husband’s drums. I’m impressed beyond words with my daughter’s sewing expertise and the dresses she creates. To know God placed these talents in them in the womb makes me smile. Certainly He delights in seeing the results. When we use the abilities God has entrusted to us, we express beauty designed by Him. He’s the ultimate artist, shaping us body and soul.

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Dear one, are you anxious, afraid, or perplexed? God is faithful.

Do you possess a deficient response to God’s amazing heart? He loves you still. 

Are you using the the incredible skills He wove into the core of your being? YOU are His piece of art.

Treasure these truths with me today.

Emily

 

Top photo credit: Geranium vases 1 step 2ab xero a multi specks via photopin (license)

The Paint Box

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“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”

1 Thessalonians 4:7, NIV

Paint_Box-2I tore into the plain, brown paper wrapping and squealed with delight. A box filled with fresh, watercolor paints just begged to be placed in the hands of a young artist. Quickly, I found some paper and immersed myself in my creation.

I loved to spend time at my father’s art studio where there was always an abundant supply of paper, pencils, paints, and paternal praise―everything a young Rembrandt would need. It was only natural for me to follow in my father’s footsteps.

Once in fourth-grade art class, our assignment was to copy a picture of a bird on a flowered tree limb. I set about my work with resolve, only this time I was unable to measure up to the high standard I laid out for myself. Thus, I resorted to plagiarism. I discreetly laid my paper on top of the pattern and traced the image with meticulous strokes. Later, as my teacher held up each work before the class, he politely asked me if I had traced mine. Of course I answered, “No.”  In my naivety, I believed I had fooled him.

Today, there are still times when I am unwilling to invest the effort required to achieve the optimal result. My desire for immediate results applies not only to my life’s artistic expression but its spiritual expression as well. My impatience produces halfhearted efforts and a sprint to a premature finish.

Developing artistic skill takes a lifetime of dedicated study and hard work. The same is true of maturing in Christ and living out his purpose. Fulfilling God’s vision requires prayerful time in his presence, intensive study, obedience to his Word, and an earnest resolve to follow the leading of his Holy Spirit. Our approach must be intentional. There are no shortcuts, no patterns to trace―simply his footsteps to follow.

I still have my childhood paint box. The wells once filled with fresh, vibrant, and varied colors now all contain the same dull shade of dirty brown. The result, I am sure, of a young child artist in such a hurry to paint her masterpiece that she didn’t take the time to rinse out her brush.

More than a generation later, I wonder, “Am I still impatiently tracing an image other than my own, or am I willing to follow the unique pattern my Father has marked out for me?”

Spend time with your Father today. Then, go and paint a Masterpiece!

Happy painting,

Starr

It All Builds Up

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“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” 

Galatians 6:7, NLT

lint_filterI was sitting with a group of friends when one of them asked about the similarity between lint in a lint filter and sin. On the face of it, this sounded to me like one of those “what the heck?” type of questions! I mean, where did that idea come from? But, I paused and thought, “Well, is there any similarity”? So, we tossed around our thoughts on the matter. The question for me became, what, if anything, does lint in filters and unchecked sin have in common? I considered what happens with lint when I dry the laundry in a dryer. Then, I considered what happens with what we commonly term insignificant or little sins, as opposed to those considered big ones.  I was surprised by what I discovered!

Whenever I checked the lint filter and there was just a little bit of lint on it, I tended to let it go because I didn’t see it as enough lint to bother cleaning off. When I checked the filter and the lint had accumulated significantly, I tended to it right away, because, by that time, it threatened a clogged filter and an inability for the dryer to effectively dry the clothes. It was actually harder to clean off the faint dusting of lint than a greater accumulation! The full filter of lint rolled right out so much easier. But, proper maintenance on the filter with little lint would have prevented further build up and subsequent consequences!

sinsI experienced a time in my life when I let my so-called little sins progress unchecked to the point that they multiplied and became glaringly obvious to everyone around me. I could no longer hide them! I was left wondering, “How’d they get so big so quickly?” Truth is, it wasn’t an overnight growth, and I was compelled to address it. By that time, I was willing to confess everything and check those sins at the throne of God’s forgiveness! It cost me too, as some of those consequences continue today. It’s my reminder of the truth that we’d reap what we’ve sown.

Based on my friend’s question, I concluded that there is indeed a similarity between lint in lint filters and sin; left unchecked, it all builds up. Once built up, it must be addressed. So wouldn’t we want to address it before it builds up, and reap rewards instead of consequences?

By grace through faith,

Rita