While on vacation recently I had the chance to walk among local merchants and see their artistic work on display.  Beautiful scenery pieces cut out of mahogany or pieced together from seashell, each one telling a story with materials God provided.  The most intriguing one was a gentleman who was painting scenes on blank white tiles.  It was mesmerizing to watch him start with this blank slate and then bit by bit, layer by layer, create a feast for the eyes.
While reflecting back on this experience, it hits me.  I am God’s tile.  When I was born the Master took me in His hands and began His masterpiece.  Layer by layer God is building me into who He created me to be.  It is in this process that I am able to become confident of His love and grace.  He could stop now and I would still be beautiful.  But I wouldn’t be complete.  If He takes care everyday to generate works of art in nature, such as a new and unique sunset every day, I know He is being even more intentional of working in me.

Rather than viewing myself as an onion, layers being removed one at a time, it is more accurate to say I am a painting of love.  Each layer bringing something else out of all that surrounds it, building blocks to the masterpiece that I will become.  Or maybe I have always been a masterpiece.  It just takes the right Master to bring it to light.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18