Ruined Masterpiece Restored
We are all made in God’s image, we are His children, and the work of His hands.
My last post was the beginning truth for our identity. (To See Made in God’s Image post click here) When Bethany saw a dwarf the other day, she surprised me by asking, “Mom, what’s wrong with that man?”
I answered- “Nothing is wrong with him. Everyone is created in God’s image and we should RESPECT and LOVE God’s creation.”
But the truth is two-fold.
The equal answer to “Mom, what’s wrong with him?” is also-“Nothing is wrong with him that isn’t wrong with everyone. We are all challenged in some way- body, soul, and spirit.”
The truth is we are a “ruined” masterpiece undergoing painstaking restoration by the Master.
No one comes close to reflecting God’s original blueprint for mankind. Every person is damaged, flawed, and dying. But living out Imago Dei means respecting and loving the Masterpiece because it’s valuable to the Master. And the Master is not going to let His creation remain ruined- He’s committed to a full restoration of the work of His hands. (Col. 3)
Imagine you had the ability, creativity, and genius to create a Masterpiece. You plan, hover, dream and breathe your soul into your work- your Masterpiece. You stand back and know it’s perfection. Basking in the beauty of the work of your hands, you place it on display for all to see and admire.
Then comes a fateful moment- “something” completely ruins your Masterpiece. It is marred, flawed, ruined, less than perfect.
You could throw it out and start over, or you could decide you would do whatever it took to restore your Masterpiece.
This is the Meta-Narrative of Christianity and the Biblical World View.
God is the Master Creator of mankind. With love in every “brushstroke, He created us His image and proclaimed mankind good!
God gave mankind the freedom to love God and walk with Him- or not. Adam and Eve chose not to believe or obey God- sin, brokenness, and death entered into our DNA/body and soul/spirit.
All of us are marred, flawed, ruined, less than perfection.
When we look at some people, we see obvious disabilities and limitations. Some people look “perfect”. But make no mistake- our flaws run deep and none of us is perfect. From genetic weaknesses to pride and rebellion, mankind is ruined and has no ability to restore ourselves to our original glory. NO ONE is the Masterpiece God designed them to be.
Only the Master- the Creator of the Masterpiece is able and determined
to salvage our beauty and restore our glory.
So the next time we look at someone and see a “disability”- let’s remember this:
Hey mankind- we’re all in this together. No one’s exempt! Let’s be humble and recognize the fact that we’re all disabled and limited, imperfect and flawed.
The Tandem Truth:
We’re all made in God’s image by our Father’s hand and He is committed to the work of His hands.
&
We’re all ruined and need a painstaking restoration process from the hand of the Master, Himself.
For more understanding of the “big picture” of the Bible and God’s plan for man, click here.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
Stay under the brush. Stay under the brush. He is restoring His masterpiece and bringing the Master’s peace.
ohhhhh- I LOVE that! Stay under the brush! 🙂 I want to be restored!
What a terrific illustration! (That just popped into my artistic head! Smile) I love this, it’s such a clear understanding of who we all are, and how the Lord is working in us for His good purposes and His honor and glory. Another masterpiece of writing, dear girl!
LOL- great play on words 🙂 It seems clear to me- but I remember a time when it was so confusing to me- did God love me or hate me? When I finally saw the truth that He loved me in my most broken, sinful state- and that nothing would change His love for me- WOW. A Savior who saves us from our worst self to restore us to our best self. Unfailing Love!
Wow, Cindy! Great post! As a musician, this post really touched me. It’s so true that we need to remember that we are all flawed, even if our flaws aren’t on the surface. Thank you for painting this wonderful picture with your words. It’s a great analogy and an even greater moral.
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a great comment, Colin! Thinking about the beauty of a symphony or complicated musical piece, in much the same way, could also illustrate the need of our “disharmony” and “discordancy” in our lives to be tuned by our Creator- who is the perfect musician- bringing harmony and unity to all of our lives- individually and as a whole. Blessings!