GOD’S MASTERPIECE

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 15 November 2012

Hi all,

Do you remember being taught “degrees of comparison” at school? Such as Good, Better, Best? Big, bigger, biggest? You can’t do that with average. You can’t say average, averager, and averagest. You can’t even say average, more average, most average. Average is average. But God didn’t make us to be average. He made us all to be unique. We are not supposed to be another one in the middle of a million other ones. He said we are His masterpiece! He made us to achieve great things for Him. It’s all inside us. Let’s try and “let it out”! This is our meditation for today.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 15 November 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	GOD’S MASTERPIECE
Most of us have become so accustomed to mediocrity that we struggle when we try to think that we are special. Furthermore, as we look around we notice that we are surrounded by ordinary and rather mediocre people. We look at individuals who have made great achievements in life and we tend to think of them as so much better than we are. We delight in being “average”. No better or worse than others. John L Mason in his book “An Enemy Called Average” challenges this type of thinking. He says regardless of where you are in life, or how much you have or have not accomplished, God has a unique gift and calling for YOU - purposed for only YOU to accomplish. An examination of Psalm 139:1-18 gives us David’s perspective of himself. You could say that the Psalm is telling us what David thought about God and, more importantly, what God thinks about David. This entire portion of Scripture is revolutionary in thought for most of us. What we should do is read it as though you are the author and God is speaking directly to you. Incidentally, this is the best way to read Psalms like this. I’ve several favourite verses in this Psalm. The one I’d like to refer to is, 14 I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvellous and my soul knows it very well. Psalms 139:14 MKJV What it tells us is that we are not average and mediocre. Each one of us has been fearfully and wonderfully made. I like to think that God has hand-crafted me for a special purpose and destiny. Something that only I will ever be able to achieve. He has done exactly the same with you. In imagination, think about Michael Angelo. Perhaps his crowning work was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or perhaps the carving of the statue of David. In my mind’s eye I can almost see God thinking about these two great works of art. He wanted to create a man who would “do” them. So He took a man in his mother’s womb and began to shape into him everything he would need for being an artistic genius. I’ve no idea how He did it. I can imagine Him moulding artistic ability, imagination and determination. All the qualities Michael Angelo would need to produce these great works of art. God gave him a purpose and a destiny. This is why Michael Angelo became who he was! Every one of us has a purpose and a destiny. They are woven into us like some magnificent tapestry. God has made us as unique as Michael Angelo. We all have this. What is it? What will we do? Will we reach for it with the same determination as Michael Angelo? If not, why not? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT 17 The king commanded them to quarry large, expensive blocks of stone in order to provide a foundation of cut stone for the temple. 1 Kings 5:17 GW 7 The temple was built with stone blocks that were finished at the quarry. No hammer, chisel, or any other iron tool made a sound at the temple construction site. 1 Kings 6:7 GW 5 You also are like living stones. As you come to him you are being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests. You will offer spiritual sacrifices. God will accept them because of what Jesus Christ has done. 1 Peter 2:5 NIrV 20 You are a building that is built on the apostles and prophets. They are the foundation. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in the building. 21 The whole building is held together by him. It rises to become a holy temple because it belongs to the Lord. 22 And because you belong to him, you too are being built together. You are being made into a house where God lives through his Spirit. Ephesians 2:20-22 NIrV 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 TNIV 9 For we are both God's workers. And you are God's field. You are God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9 NLT 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:5 TNIV	When told we are God’s masterpiece I sort of shook my head. I glanced into the mirror. “A Masterpiece” I said? “I certainly can’t see it. I think I’m rather plain”. I know I am conceited and often rather vain. I see that I am balding and overweight a tad. You say that is a masterpiece! I’m sorry. Not this lad. I can see the wrinkles; they’re covering my face. A wee spot of arthritis, and much too old to chase A pretty girl around the room. My joints are far too slow. So where You find this “masterpiece”. I’m sorry, I don’t know. Then the Master spoke to me. “Please take a look again. You are a little different from all the other men. I knitted you together within your mother’s womb. It started at conception, and in that quiet gloom, I made a special person, someone who’s so unique, You’ll never find another, no matter where you seek. Your fingers I have fashioned. Your lips, your eyes, your nose. Your brain, your heart, your arteries. I crafted all of those. It wasn’t accidental. You didn’t just evolve. There wasn’t any difficulty I could not resolve. I put in place your hearing. Made sure you can digest. Your liver, spleen, arms and legs were made the very best. Exactly what I wanted is how I crafted you. My son, your accusations are totally untrue. I made you to perfection! No detail overlooked. All this was done in secret. Your birthing day was booked. No detail was found missing, for you to have a life, Filled with a Holy purpose and free from every strife. There was a minor problem. Someday, you’ll have to die. You’ll receive sin’s penalty like every gal and guy. For somewhere in your body your cells are getting old. That’s why your body’s slowing. Soon you’ll be dead and cold. But do not be discouraged. I’m yours and you are Mine. Death can never hold you and at the proper time, I will raise you up again and evermore we’ll be Living with My Father throughout eternity. Jim Strickland  Written 15th November 2012