HOW CAN I DEVELOP A BETTER SELF-IMAGE? (EPH. 2:10)
ON APRIL 12, 1945, U.S. PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT WAS SITTING FOR A PORTRAIT, WHEN HE DIED SUDDENLY OF A CEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE. THE " UNFINISHED PORTRAIT" AS IT IS CALLED REMAINS ON ITS EASEL, LOOKING OUT ON THE WORLD AS MUCH AS IT DID WHEN ARTIST ELIZABETH SHOUMATOFF LAID HER BRUSH DOWN AT THE SIGHT OF THE PRESIDENTS COLLAPSE.
THE WATERCOLOR LIKENESS OF THE PRESIDENT SHOWS A MAN OF INNER STRENGTH AND CALM. PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN DAYS BEFORE AND PLACED ALONGSIDE THE ARTIST'S CANVAS FOR REFERENCE, HOWEVER, REVEAL A MUCH DIFFERENT VIEW. IN THEM WE SEE A NATURAL LEADER WORN EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY FROM THE POLITICAL LOAD HE BORE.
LATER, MADAM SHOUMATOFF RETURNED TO HER WORK ON THE PRESIDENTS PORTRAIT. SHE DID NOT CHOOSE TO COMPLETE THE WATERCOLOR, HOWEVER. SHE SAW IT AS COMPLETE IN ITS OWN RIGHT. INSTEAD, SHE BEGAN AND FINISHED A NEW PORTRAIT, PAINTED IN OIL. IT IS HANDSOME RENDERING OF A STRONG AND CONFIDENT PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, WITH NO VISIBLE FLAWS.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW GOD VIEWS YOUR LIFE? DO YOU WORRY THAT HE SEE'S YOUR FLAWS AND MISTAKES AND LOVES YOU LESS? DO NOT WORRY! GOD KNOWS YOUR PERFECTLY AND LOVES YOU COMPLETELY JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. YOU ARE HIS MASTERPIECE- HIS WORKMANSHIP OF GRACE AND LOVE- HIS WORK OF ART. HE CONTINUES TO PAINT THE COLORS OF YOUR LIFE IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU WILL GLORIFY HIM.
THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US: "WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK WITH IN THEM." (EPH. 2:10).
BY GODS LOVING GRACE WE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. THOUGH OUR LIVES REMAIN THE CANVAS, GOD HAS SEEN THE FINISH PORTRAIT. HIS ETERNAL EYES KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE NEED HIS GREATEST ATTENTION. EVERY FRUSRATION, EVERY DISAPPOINTMENT, AND EVERY JOY HAS A PURPOSE (ROM. 8:12).
MANY FIND THIS A HARD CONCEPT TO GRASP. THEY SEE THEIR LIVES AS INCOMPLETE, MUCH LIKE THE UNFINISHED PORTRAIT OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. BUT GOD VIEWS YOU FROM A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PRESPECTIVE. WHEN HE SEES YOUR LIFE, HE SEES A PERSON OF WORTH AND GREAT PROMISE.
GOD REJOICES OVER YOU, THOUGH HE KNOWS YOU ARE NOT YET WHAT YOU WILL BE WHEN STEP INTO THE ETERNAL PRESCENE OF GOD (1 COR. 13:12). UNTILL THAT TIME, GOD IS PATIENTLY MOLDING AND SHAPING YOUR LIFE INTO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON.
