Meandering - Masterpiece
/“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” Psalm 139:14 (NLT)
Gina and I had the privilege of meeting the owners of the house we are purchasing. Pride of ownership was evident the first time we went through the house, but being able to actually speak with the owners themselves was very helpful. We were instructed on how to (safely!) turn on the propane fireplace and the space heater in the garage. I was shown where to find and how to change the summer screens back to solid glass in the front door. Where the property lines run, and where best to dispose of cut grass, were pointed out to me. The lawn has been meticulously cared for and I was grateful to gain the knowledge on what, and how much, to purchase regarding lime and fertilizer, and how exactly to apply it for best results. I learned when the roof was redone and where some extra shingles were stashed. It was good to find out about the last time the furnace was serviced, what the extra parts were for, and what a myriad of other switches and electrical gadgets did.
I could, of course, look over blueprints, survey plans, and manuals myself, but it was so beneficial to learn about care and maintenance from the original builder and owner of the house. In a similar way, it is even more beneficial to speak with our original designer and builder. We have, and are so thankful for, God’s blueprint and manual for abundant life given to us in the Scriptures, but it is also a wonderful blessing to be able to speak with the author of the Bible in relation to our lives each and everyday.
Our gracious Creator and Architect loves to have us consult him directly on such matters in our lives as how to safely utilize the fuel and fire of our emotions, how to prepare for the changing seasons and adequately protect ourselves from hostile elements, to know where the appropriate boundaries are in our relationships, where best to dispose of the refuse and inevitable garbage of life, and how to properly read, maintain, and monitor the gadgets and gauges of our bodies’ health.
As Pastor Sterling rightly stated last Sunday, “It’s not self-help, but the Spirit’s help that we need most!” So, let’s take advantage of God’s willingness to avail himself to us as our constant Consultant for every area of our lives. He, as our Master Builder, will personally interpret and teach us through the blueprint of the Bible and prayer in how we can more and more become the masterpiece he created us to be.
“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)
Thanks for meandering along with me,
Pastor Daniel