Throughout this time of living in social distancing, we cannot live by relationally distancing. We are so blessed to live in a day and time when we have tools to stay connected with friends and loved ones. Even more important we have been given a tool to develop our relationship with God no matter what the circumstances: Prayer. So, let’s make the most of it all and spend time with God allowing Him to draw us nearer to Him and to develop us in greater ways as His masterpiece.
Kevin McPherson is considered one of the top representational artists of our time. He is collected worldwide, exhibits in some of the best galleries in the United States, and is popular as a workshop teacher. I read that Kevin will sometimes keep one of his paintings because he feels he painted it just right. He knows that it is a masterpiece from his own hands, created from his palette. I imagine he frames it, hangs it on his wall and celebrates its beauty with a sense of pride and joy. He knows it is an example of how his years and lifetime of work and discipline have paid off.
That’s exactly how God feels about you. He is the artist. He has created you and declared that you are His masterpiece. Picture Him framing and displaying you in His heavenly gallery, proudly declaring you to be one of His best works of art.
Ready to start developing your Life Palette? Just like an artist preparing to paint, the process begins with a look at the values you’re going to use—and how those values show up on the canvas of your life.
Take this action today to let God develop you as His masterpiece:
- It’s important to see yourself as God’s masterpiece. Revisit Ephesians 2:10, apply it to memory, and make it personal: “For we are (I am) God’s masterpiece. He has created us (me) anew in Christ Jesus, so we (I) can do the good things he planned for us (me) long ago.”
- Consider the three attitude checks to clean and begin preparing your Life Palette:
- Are there areas of your life where you blame God? If so, take a moment, confess them to Him, and ask Him to help you change from this moment on.
- Are you worried about what others think? How can you begin today to trust God as the only one qualified to decide what makes you a masterpiece?
- Do you completely trust that God knows what He’s doing as the artist of your life? If no, why not? If yes, describe why.
- In this book, the formula for success is: Living daily as the masterpiece God created you to be. How does this formula work with your current definition of success?
- Who would you list as someone who has lived, or is living, their life as the masterpiece God created them to be? Why?
- Your Life Palette determines how your life is lived as His masterpiece. Ask God to show you the choices you need to make right now to move forward creating your Life Palette. What is one thing you will do to begin?