M is for Masterpiece

Hi everyone, and welcome to week 13 of the ABCs of Contentment. Can you believe how time has flown by? We’re on week 13 already. We’ll be at the end of the alphabet before you know it; and then I’ll have to come up with a new series. Anyway, today’s letter is M and M stands for Masterpiece. We’re actually going to talk about two words: Masterpiece and Potter because it takes a potter to create a masterpiece. So that means we’re going to talk about two verses.

The first verse is Ephesians 2:10, “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.”

The second verse has become a favorite of mine over the years. It’s Romans 9:20 and 21 where it says, “Who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘why did you make me like this?’” Good question. Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

Since we’re talking about Masterpiece, here’s two masterpieces I made. The one I’m holding is wheelchair tracks made with my power wheelchair. When I went to The Joni Friends Family Retreat in 2012, there was a guy there by the name of Tommy Hollenstein and he was a wheelchair artist. He taught us how to make art with our wheelchair.

The second painting my friend Jessica is holding. That’s me out of my wheelchair going into heaven. That’s when I have my new body. That’s what’s going to happen someday; but that day is not today and that’s okay. I have plenty of work to do down here. Just like the verse in Romans says, I have a purpose here; a special purpose.

Anyone that knows me really well, knows that knows that I like the Hallmark store. I go in there and I love all the little trinkets; especially at this time of year when they have the ornaments out already. I love looking at them. Sometimes I look at the shelves and go, “Oh boy, I wish I could do stuff like that. If I could do that kind of stuff, I wouldn’t be at the computer so much.” Maybe that’s true, but then, I wouldn’t be writing all these great stories and I wouldn’t be sharing the gospel with you in the same way because I wouldn’t have endured the hardships I’ve endured.

We live in a world where people and media are pushing the perfect image. Skinny legs, perfect hair, you get the idea. But you know what my idea of perfect is? My idea of perfect would be me being able to dress myself. My idea of perfect would be me being able to walk on my own without my walker.

Then again, there’s a purpose for me needing help with the simple things in life. I think it keeps me humble and makes me lean on the Lord more just like my special needs friends. I’ve never actually said it out loud, but in frustration I have thought, “Lord, why did you make me like this?” Especially when me and my friend Jessica made vases when I was learning how to play with play-doh and do a lesson for my Awana kids on how becoming a Christian is like becoming a vase. That was fun, but at times, that can be frustrating. Sometimes she’d tell me, “Breathe.” You’ll get to see the vases later when we talk about how the letter V is for Vase and I share the gospel.

So how about you? Are you going to let the Lord use you and become that beautiful masterpiece that the Potter wants you to be? Because let me tell you, I’ve seen it my whole lifetime; the Lord does beautiful work.

Lord, please help me and my friends to focus on your purpose for our lives. Help us to use our hardships and say, “How can I use this for my God, my Creator as we’re being crafted by You, the Master Potter, day by day? Take me, mold me, use me, fill me. I give my life to the Potter’s hand. Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me. I give my life to the Potter’s hand.”

Will you give your life to the Potter’s hand? I hope you will. Well, that’s it for the letter M everyone. I’ll see you next week when we talk about the letter N for New. We’re going to talk about how when we accept the Lord into our lives, the Master Potter helps us become a new creation. See you next time. Bye, thank you for watching.

 

Watch these video to see how the art was done. What a fun year that was!
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