“In 1497, a young Michelangelo was commissioned by French Cardinal Jean de Bilheres Lagraulas to create ‘the most beautiful work of marble in Rome, one that no living artist could better’, for the cardinal’s future tomb in Old St. Peter’s Basilica. Few will argue that Michelangelo not only rose to the Cardinal’s challenge with the ‘Pieta’ but also managed to surpass it. Michelangelo sculpted the Pieta from a single block of Carrara marble, which he claimed was the most perfect block of marble he had ever worked with. He also claimed that he could ‘see’ the sculpture within the marble itself and that it was his job to merely remove the excess in order to free the image inside.” (www.michelangelo.net)
What a fitting picture of how the Heavenly Father shapes us. One of the distinct characteristics of living under God’s Hand is that He’s always developing His children, constantly chipping-away at our rough edges as He tirelessly redeems & molds our characters into an image that only He can see. He doesn’t merely save us and then leave us as we are; He’s freeing us one layer at a time, in a way that uncovers all the features that make us unique and dearly-loved. If I’m being totally honest, sometimes I wish God would just leave me alone! Just when I think I’m “finished” dealing with some area, it becomes obvious that more work is needed as He continues to uncover hidden places in my character. He can seem like a master sculptor who never stops tinkering. Yet the journey of trusting Him is meant to be exhilarating and life-giving, not exhausting and discouraging. It all depends upon what I believe. Whenever I’m not experiencing the life He intends, it means I’m believing something that’s not true; holding on to a chunk that doesn’t belong.
For a variety of reasons, I grew up with the idea that God was unhappy with me and needed to fix me so that I could be worthy of His love. In my early teen years I interpreted His call to righteousness and holiness in light of this, and resented His unwarranted intrusions into my life. I was believing the popular kids, the rock stars, and anyone else who disputed God’s right to control their lives. I didn’t believe that God had my best interest in mind, so I created an alternative reality where I was the center. I chose self-justification and self-fulfillment, pursuing all kinds of things that never kept me happy. This was the way of the world, and it still is.
I could always feel the Father pursuing me in spite of my rebellions, resisting Him for fear of what I would lose. Eventually I had the life-changing epiphany that He wasn’t the mean-spirited disciplinarian I thought He was. I realized that He wasn’t bent on punishing me or making me pay for every bad thing I ever did. Instead, I was blown-away that the Nail-Scarred Hands of Jesus offered freedom rather than misery. For the first time, I realized that He paid my debt for me on the cross so that I could inherit His approval without having to work for it. I understood that His acceptance was free, regardless of my performance; and that my worth to Him was inestimable without me having to prove anything. Six weeks before my 17th birthday, it was like scales fell from my eyes so I could finally see….or like when the Grinch’s heart grew 3-sizes in Whoville. I accepted His paternal embrace and embarked on a new path that I’m still (imperfectly) walking today.
The trajectory of my life-course changed that day because I believed, REALLY BELIEVED. When you really believe something to be true, your actions follow suit. When you don’t, they don’t. The truth is that God loves us just as we are, but His love is so great that He cannot leave us as we are.
I’m basically still that young man learning to believe that God can be trusted and that His way is best. Though it’s been almost 38-years and the circumstances are all different, there are several areas in me that still need a lot of work. His redemption of us is once for all, but His sanctification of us never ceases. Though we may become weary and discouraged at times, He steadfastly cuts beautiful designs in all of His adopted sons and daughters. He uses all of our successes and failures, and every circumstance we experience, toward the higher purpose of regenerating us into who He imagined each one of us to be when He created us.
What do you think God had in mind when He made you?
What do you think He sees as He continues to shape you?
Are you working with Him? …or against Him?
Are you at a confusing crossroads right now? Are you discouraged by a steep hill-climb or muddy valley you see coming? Are you afraid of what’s around the next bend? Are you following the wrong map, or traveling without a guide? Just about everyone I know is struggling at some level right now.
There are a lot of struggles and questions we’re dealing with during these trying days of 2020. As we walk through them, let us remember that the Master is walking alongside us through all of our circumstances with love in His eyes and chisel in Hand, shaping us into the destinies that only He can see in advance.
“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.” (Ephesians 2:10)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:13-16)
“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” (Ephesians 1:4-7)
“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:29-31)
One reply on “Sculptor’s Masterpiece”
Thank you for sharing this message! It is well to remember we are all being shaped into perfection in Christ little by little, Chip by Chip!