Masterpiece

But now, O Lord, you are our Father;

we are the clay, and you are our potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

A huge chunk of beautiful marble lay in the courtyard of the Florence, Italy cathedral for almost a hundred years. The sculptor commissioned to carve it had made a mistake while attempting to carve the stone, and most people thought it was beyond repair.

But in 1505, another young sculptor by the name of Michelangelo came across the piece and thought he could do something with it. For three years, he worked steadily, carefully shaping the marble into an 18-foot tall image of the young shepherd boy David – a sculpture that would define the great artist’s career.

Much like Michelangelo, God is our Sculptor. He finds us broken, lost, and in desperate need of work. Then, after putting our faith  in Christ, He begins to chisel us, scraping and chipping away our imperfections and making us more and more into the image He wants us to be.

This sculpting we undergo isn’t always a pleasant experience. That’s because sometimes we have idols and imperfections chipped away to which we’ve grown very attached. But our Master Sculptor knows what He’s doing. Trust Him to mold you throughout your life into the masterpiece He’s created you to be and thank Him that He’s set you free from the imperfections that hinder you!

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to help you submit to His daily sculpting in your life as He transforms you into His image.

Questions for Thought

Why do you believe the “sculpting” God does in our lives can often be a painful process?

In what areas do you believe God is shaping you more and more into His image today?