Getting His Masterpiece For The Exhibit

Getting His Masterpiece Ready For the Exhibit

At choir practice tonight our Associate Pastor/Praise and Worship Minister asked us to send a text to him of the name of a song that is a blessing to us right now in our life. I was sitting there in so much conviction over the words of the song we will sing on Sunday that the word “blessing” didn’t quite come to mind. I was thinking, “I only have three days to get my life fixed so I can sing this song.” And I wasn’t sure three days was enough time.

Here are some of the words of the song:
     Make me Your masterpiece;
     Lord, put me on display,
     That I may ever be
     A picture of Your Grace.

Here is the picture I had on display today:
1. Worry over my health
2  Impatience with slow drivers
3  Frustration about not getting my way
4. Unmentionable words when I tripped, dropped my bags of shopping, and scrapped my heel
    (Luckily I was alone in the garage and wasn’t on display to the world)
5. Anger at being interrupted while trying to work

This isn’t the type of masterpiece I want on display. But it sure was today’s painting. I don’t think I was a blessing to anyone, not even to myself. And, wow, I realized that I am on display 24/7. I can be His masterpiece or my own scribbled mess.

Philippians 3:10 and 12 shows us how our mess can be corrected into His masterpiece ready to be exhibited to the world. This shows the picture of Grace given to us through Christ.
     “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…Not that I have already obtained it (whew, there’s hope for me), or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” Or, in my words, “I want to absolutely know all about Christ and the dynamite power He gave me through the Holy Spirit. I am not finished becoming what Christ will make perfect in my life. It will take the rest of my life to be completed. But I’m going to grab everything I can of the Christlife and not let go. Because Christ is holding me and He won’t let go.”

I want to make my life a picture of what God can do with a sinner. I might not be perfect but I am becoming a masterpiece. The painting might not be perfect ...yet ... but it’s getting there. And it’s all because of the grace Christ purchased for me. He’s making the masterpiece if I don’t take the brush out of His hands. My job is not to be the painter but to be the canvas.

Then I realized that He has blessed me with this song. It is a chance to give the brush back to the painter. It’s a chance to become the masterpiece He had in mind all of the time. I might not have this all corrected in three days but He’ll complete it in His time.

And now some more of the song:
          His glory, His honor, His goodness, His kindness,
          His mercy, His forgiveness, His love, and His power:
          That’s what I want my life to be all about.
          Make me His masterpiece, a picture of His grace.

My prayer is that when His masterpiece of me is finished it will bear a striking resemblance of Christ.