God's Beauty seen in His Creative Ones

As I've meditated on this prayer for the past day or so, my thoughts go particularly to God's creative people. I'm reminded that when He created the world, He made everything good and beautiful. There was nothing in the world that was not perfect. As Genesis says, "God saw all He had made and it was very good." (Gen 1:31a, NIV)

However, because of man's sin, we all know it didn't stay that way. The world became a twisted place, and beauty began to vanish. When God made man, He made him in His own image.... and that too has become tainted. Man became ugly, and no longer reflected God's beauty.

Yet God calls His people, those who have been recreated in Christ, to be mirrors of His glory and of His beauty. Through Christ, we have been recreated in His own image.

We all have many different gifts and talents, and in each of them we display something of the Father's image. However, here, I wish to share with those who are blessed with the creative gifts, displaying that side of God, our creator. It is our place to bring back some beauty to this dark, twisted and ugly world.

We are the beautiful ones!!... and we see the beauty around us!! So let us share that beauty with those who do not see what we see.

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, NIV)

First Prayer for 2007!

"Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us,
Yes, establish the work of our hands."
(Psalm 90:17, NKJ)

This is what I read this morning, and I felt I really needed it to make an impression on me, so I did this. It is also my prayer for you for the coming year. May you, firstly, know what the Lord would have you do, and then, may the Lord's blessing over all that you do.

"For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus. [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]." (Ephesians 2:10, Amp)

A Ray of Hope in the Darkest Hour!

As I was putting this card together, my thoughts for this Christmas were for those who may not have such a good Christmas... for whom Christmas may be a dark times.

For some, Christmas brings back sad or bad memories! Some may be facing tragedy this Christmas... and others may be suffering loss... loss of a loved one, loss of a job, loss of a marriage, loss of children to drugs and other things! And many in the world live amongst strife and unrest, with no sign of peace.

So, if that is you, my prayers are with you this Christmas. May, even in your darkest hour, Jesus shine His light in your heart and give you a new hope!!

Remember why He came to earth! Without Him, we are separated from God with no hope. But He came to live and suffer and die, and then rise again, to restore us to the Father, and give us that hope! There is a light for our darkness!!

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined." (Isaiah 9:2, Amp)

"In Him (Jesus) was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it.]" (John 1:4-5, Amp)

"And again, Isaiah says:
'There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.'
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:12-13, NKJ)

That is my prayer for you this Christmas!!