Joy's Mural

I’ve stated in past blogs that my granddaughter Joy loves to take a bath at my house. I’m sure part of it is because I let her do things in the bath tub that her mother would not. She can turn her bath water different colors or she can use water crayons to name just a few.

The water crayons are pretty cool and our bathtub wall has a large white canvas for all of her creations. On one particular day, Joy decided to draw a village. Each member of her family was given a house of their favorite color. A number was also attached to each house…the age of the person who theoretically lived in the house.

The village was attached by sidewalks and roads. Some had trees or bushes. Some had elaborate windows and others were plain. This project took Joy several bath times to create and complete. After each bath, I would close the shower curtain as if pulling a drape over a masterpiece, waiting for the artist to return.

Finally it was finished. There was nothing more to add. Nothing to remove. It was finished. It was her best work and the art she was most proud of.

We are viewed by God in this same way. We are His best work and what He is most proud of. Do you wonder why? There are times when I am not my best, some might even say at my worst. When I cannot seem to live up to His standards, but He loves me all the same.

Of course we can turn straight to Psalm 139 to learn just how God created and designed us. “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well…your eyes saw my unformed body.” (Psalm 139:13-16) Yes, we are God’s most wonderful masterpiece, fearfully and wonderfully made.

After each day of creation, God ended the day with the phrase, “And God saw that it was good.” But after creating man, God ended the day with the phrase, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Man was not just good, he was very good. God’s “very good” creation.

Ephesians 2:10 from The New Living Translation says it this way. “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.” We are His masterpiece, but created for a purpose. One purpose stated here is to do good.

If we look at ourselves from this perspective, I can begin to understand why God looks at me as His most precious creation. Even when I am not at my best, God working through me makes me His best.

Joy’s mural remained on the wall of the bath tub for several weeks, but then, it eventually had to be removed. I washed down the walls and watched as the colors were diluted with water and swirl down the drain. But not before getting several pictures of this masterpiece.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna