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The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. (Romans 1:20 The Message)

The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. (Psalm 19:1 NLT)

God placed great power in the beauty of our world! He chose to give us this beauty as a blessing and as a reminder. We ignore this beauty to our own loss.

Dear Phil,

Thank you for your dedication to the beauty of the Gospel expressed in photography!!! Sometimes at night when I'm so weary, I just look up your website and it refreshes me!!

Nancy

Thanks, Nancy, what a sweet affirmation. We do spend a great deal of time concentrating on bringing God's truths to life with images, computer wallpaper, and PowerPoint backgrounds. But my concern is for the work of art you most often miss — yourself!

While most folks are familiar with the great passage on grace in  Ephesians 2:1-9, invariably they end up short of Paul's concluding thought in verse 10:

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (NLT)

We are God's masterpiece!

God didn't just save us FROM sin and death, but he saved us FOR an eternal life of beauty and purpose.

The same God who paints a different sunset each evening and who splashed touches of his glory throughout the creation that he has made is the Artist who has created you for a special purpose. He put you together with that purpose in mind when you were still in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13-16) and re-created you when you were born of the Spirit (Colossians 3:10) and re-made to share in his glory (Colossians 3:4). To help you on your journey, God has given you certain gifts to use for his people, to bring him glory, and to help you find joy in your service (1 Peter 4:10-11).

In our worst moments, we wonder about our purpose, our value, and our significance. In those moments, let's look at the beautiful universe God has created and then push back the voice of Satan who is trying to make us feel valueless and hear the voice of God, "You are my masterpiece, created to bring a blessing."

Don't ever let go of that promise. You may not ever know exactly how this promise is true until you sit in glory with him and meet others who were touched by the beauty God revealed in you — people you never knew were touched by you. Remember, many of the great works of art were not appreciated in the day they were crafted, but over time, their significance, beauty, and power have blessed thousands.

You are God's masterpiece. Don't believe anything less about yourself. Your value is set by your Creator! The heavens declare the glory of God simply by their very existence, doing what he made them to do. So do you!

Holiness by Henry Blackaby Discover why a healthy, holy fear of God must come first if we are to experience true revival.

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click here.

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