Color Your World
“For we are God’s masterpiece.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
“Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made.”
Romans 1:20 GNT
Lately, my daughters and I have been hooked on a coloring app called Happy Color. We can choose illustrations to color by number, or if we’re feeling adventurous, we can choose a mystery drawing. In the mystery category we start with a blank “canvas” and see the picture take shape the more colors we fill in. Here’s a screen shot of what a mystery drawing looks like to start:
Personally, this is my favorite category. I have nothing to go by except the numbers on the screen. It’s a little disconcerting because there’s a chance I won’t like the picture I end up with, but I just have to trust that the artist has created something beautiful. This reminds me a lot of how God works in our lives. We don’t always know what picture we’re making as we color our world through our daily tasks and interactions with others, but we can trust that God does. As long as we stick to His plan, we will paint something exquisite . . . because everything God designs is beautiful.
Click the arrow below to see the animation.
Randy Alcorn,
“God reveals His creative genius in flowers, waterfalls, animals, and planets. God’s character is written
large in nature in His organization, skill, precision, and attention to detail. He’s the Master Artist.”
Seeing the Unseen
God is the Master Artist. Everything He creates is a masterpiece, and that includes us. He has a plan to make our lives into beautiful works of art — we just have to trust Him. If we follow His instructions, He will make sure we’re using the right colors in the right places to create something amazing!
“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Psalm 139:14,16
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. . . .
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.”
“God may not have needed a blueprint or a rough draft to wind up with a masterpiece, but we do. We need a fresh canvas, a vision, or a great idea before we can create anything new . . . . It’s just not in our skill set to be able to create something out of nothing.”
Karen Moore, It’s Still Possible
It’s tempting sometimes to trust our own judgment instead of following God’s plan. We think we know what’s best for us. We believe we have all the answers we need. But the truth is we don’t. We can’t. We simply don’t have all the information. We can’t see into the future, and we can’t always see the big picture. But God can. By trusting Him with the overall vision of our lives, we are free to zoom in and focus on the details He gives us to color in. We may not always know what we are creating at the time, but at some point He may give us a glimpse . . .
“I am creating something new.
Isaiah 43:19 CEV
There it is! Do you see it?”
God’s vision of what our lives can be is far beyond what we could ever dream or imagine for ourselves! And the best part is that He is always right here with us to help us achieve it. He will comfort us when we’re feeling discouraged. He will answer us when we’re feeling confused or alone. And He will strengthen us for the challenges we’re called to face.
“Imagine that Jesus has handed you a clean slate of your life and has instructed you to create a masterpiece, something only you can do. He promises He’ll be right there with you and that you will definitely succeed. He will never leave your side. All you have to do is trust Him and believe that all things are possible through Him.”
Karen Moore, It’s Still Possible
“You are the only you God made. . . . You are heaven’s Halley’s comet; we have one shot at seeing you shine. You offer a gift to society that no one else brings. If you don’t bring it, it won’t be brought.”
Max Lucado, You! God’s Brand-New Idea
A blank canvas is intimidating, and the work ahead is sometimes daunting, but the masterpiece God creates in us and through us is priceless. He made each one of us for a specific purpose, and He has a unique vision for each of our lives. If we don’t give Him the opportunity to shine through us, the world misses out. So let’s not be afraid to get started.
“You are God’s brand-new idea! He has designed you and gifted you in a unique way so that you can fulfill the special purpose he has in mind for you.”
Max Lucado, You! God’s Brand-New Idea
This week’s Scripture passages remind us that we are new in Christ and we were created to be His shining masterpiece in the world. The Lord’s got amazing plans for each one of us, so let’s follow His plan and start coloring our world. I can’t wait to see the beautiful pictures we will make!
“Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it, and he will.”
Psalm 37:4-5 TLB
Click the arrow below to see the animation.
Karen Moore,
“Go then! Here’s a new canvas! Become the masterpiece God designed you to be. Your possibilities are endless!”
It’s Still Possible
References:
- Alcorn, Randy. Seeing the Unseen, Expanded Edition: A 90-Day Devotional to Set Your Mind on Eternity. Multnomah, 2017.
- Lucado, Max. You! God’s Brand-New Idea: Made to Be Amazing. J Countryman, 2007.
- Moore, Karen. It’s Still Possible: 100 Reminders That God Can Do All Things. Thomas Nelson, 2020.
Images:
- All images and animations are from the Happy Color app https://happycolor.app
About The Author
Christa
My vision for Wondertakings was to create a devotional blog for "nerdy" Christians like me. I do believe, as Socrates said, that wisdom begins in wonder. So I love to read or watch anything that inspires wonder and figure out what I can learn from it. I view it all through a Christian lens. I believe that God can and does speak through many sources in many ways, even if those speaking are not aware of it. I am not an expert in theology or religious studies. My goal with this blog is simply to share what I've learned as a fellow student and sinner in the Christian walk. My hope and my prayer is that by doing so I may be able to help someone else. In Deuteronomy 5:33 (NLT), we are told: "Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives. . . ." So in the words of Moses (and Spock), live long and prosper, my friends!