Crosswalk.com

You are God’s Beautiful Masterpiece - Girlfriends in God - August 7, 2013

August 7, 2013
You are God’s Beautiful Masterpiece
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I was sitting in a crowded restaurant with my family when she walked by in her full-length white satin dress delicately trimmed in lace and studded with tiny “jewels,” crinoline that swished as she moved across the room, a rhinestone tiara upon her head, and pearl studded slippers on her feet. Golden ringlets framed her rosy cheeks and puckered lips glistened with a hint of gloss. She knew she was beautiful and glanced around at the admiring smiles of onlookers as she walked through the crowd. She was three-years-old.

I’m not sure when the dream to be beautiful enters a little girl’s mind, but I do know when the dream ends – when the preacher says, “may she rest in peace.” 

I remember as a little girl sneaking into my mother’s closet and slipping my child-size feet into her size seven high heels. I’d also stand on my tiptoes on a chair, pull a hat off the top shelf, and plop it on my head like an over-sized lampshade. Her satin evening jacket with sleeves that hung eight inches below my finger tips gave a nice elegant touch to my outfit.

A lady going to a party would never be caught without “putting on her face,” so I crept into the bathroom, opened the forbidden drawer, and created a clownish work of art on the palette of my face. Red rouge circles on my cheeks, heaps of blue eye shadow on my munchkin lids, and smeared orange lipstick far exceeding the proper border were finished off with a dusting of facial powder with a fluffy applicator.

From the time a little girl stretches on her tiptoes to get a peek in the mirror, she desires to be beautiful – perhaps like her mommy. I believe the dream to be beautiful is not cultural, but at the very core of womanhood.

John Eldredge, in his book Wild at Heart, describes three longings that lie at the heart of every man: a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue, an adventure to live. He also ventures to say that women have three longings of the heart as well: to be fought for, to share in an adventure, and to have her beauty unveiled.

“Not to conjure,” Eldredge explains, “but to unveil. Most women feel the pressure to be beautiful from very young, but that is not what I speak of. There is also a deep desire to simply and truly be the beauty and be delighted in. Most little girls will remember playing dress up, or wedding day, or ‘twirling skirts,’ those flowing dresses that were perfect for spinning around in. She’ll put her pretty dress on, come into the living room and twirl. What she longs for is to capture her daddy’s delight.”

A woman was and is one of God’s most magnificent creations. As a matter of fact, she was His grand finale. After He fashioned Eve, creation was complete and He took a rest! God has placed in our hearts a love for beauty and a desire to be beautiful – as He defines it.

In the New Testament, Paul writes, “For we are God’s workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10). The Greek word for workmanship means a work of art. Listen to these words as David describes the Creator at work.

For you created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
When I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Like an artist who sees the finished work in his mind’s eye, God saw your unformed substance and then began to fashion you from head to toe. He made no mistakes but planned each detail of your being. You do not need to compare yourself to other works of art, but thank the Artist for how He chose to create the masterpiece called…you.

Now, click over to my Facebook page and tell me three aspects of your body that you are thankful for!

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, thank you for making each and every part of my being. For eyes that see, ears that hear, legs that move, fingers that feel, arms that hug, feet that run, a heart that beats, a brain that thinks, a tongue that tastes. Oh Lord, forgive me when I complain about your workmanship and wish for something different. Help me to always remember that I am Your masterpiece. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Make a list of all the parts of your body that you are thankful for. This could take quite some time and perhaps you’ll need to come back to your list several times before it is complete.

Get out an anatomy book or visit a web page that shows the various body systems (the circulatory system, the nervous system, the skeletal muscles, etc.) and read about the intricacies of the human body.

If you have children, look at the various systems together and marvel at God’s incredible creation.

Look up the following verses and note what they say about your beauty:

2 Corinthians 3:18

Psalm 45:11 

1 Peter 3:3-5

Proverbs 11:22 (This verse describes a woman who is beautiful on the outside, but unattractive on the inside.)

More from the Girlfriends

All little girls have dreams, but for most of us, life doesn’t turn out like we thought.  But did you know that God has great dreams for you? Yes, He wants to fulfill your little girl dreams in His own way. And that’s not all, He has greater plans for you than you ever imagined.  Put your hand in His and dare to dream again! Learn how in my book 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Fulfills Them.

Beginning August 1, the content of my blog will be completely different from the Girlfriends in God devotions. So if you are not signed up for my blog at www.sharonjaynes.com, please do it today...and invite all your friends. I’m going to have more give-a-ways, more personal interaction, and more inspiration than ever before!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

Click here to learn more about hosting a Girlfriends in God conference in your area or having one of the GiGs speak at your next women's event.