The Finished Portrait

     In the New Year I’ve decided that I am going to get back to doing things I love!  One of the things that I’ve missed over the years is visiting art galleries and museums.  I love seeing the pieces that artist have taken time and care in creating.  Each color and stroke is purposeful and builds into a wonderful finished portrait.  As I was reading in my bible the other day a common scripture took on new meaning. 

Genesis 1:2 states: “The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”

      God had a blank canvas in which he created a masterpiece that is rivaled by none in six days.  My life, as well as yours, is a masterpiece in progress.  The difference is that God is allowing us the opportunity to act as creative directors in our lives.  He allows us to choose the colors that will be used to create the end product of our lives.  When in line with God’s will we operate just as Adam did in naming the creatures of the earth.  Adam was so connected with God that he spoke the names that God had purposed for each animal.

I choose to make my life vibrant and colorful.  Full of definition and happiness, with as many positive experiences and a life well led as a servant!  You have a new year in front of you!  What will your masterpiece say?  How will God interpret your life when the portrait is complete?  At the end will He step back, look at what you’ve placed on a canvas, and say “Well done my good and faithful servant” or depart because He doesn’t recognize you at all?  All in all He will be searching the end product for His likeness.  Have you lived a life worth the sacrifice of His?  Does He see it? 

The wonderful thing about today is that if your answer is “no” then you have the grace of today to make a step in the right direction.  If your answer is “yes He will find His likeness in my final portrait”, then please take the gift of today to reach out to someone around you that may be working towards that “yes” that you hold so dear.  You are promised today!   God gave you today!  How will you paint this day?  My final question is if this was your last day to add to your canvas, what would you do?  Once you answer that question you have a goal to work towards for the day!  Go out there and conquer 2012!  You have a passion and a purpose to capture!