The Upper Room devotional reflection for Sunday, November 6, 2022, comes to us from Debbie M. Rice of Kentucky.
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:4-11NIV
A GOOD WORK
As an artist, I enjoy the process of creating art as much as the satisfaction of seeing a project finished. I find delight in choosing a color palette and making each painting unique. My paintings constantly change when I work on them. I often feel that they are an ever-evolving portrayal of life.
I like to live with my paintings for a while and continually see ways to improve and enhance them. I might add a bit of sunlight or a splash of color in the form of a tiny flower. Often, when I apply the last brush stroke and add my initials to the bottom, I am surprised at how the final outcome has evolved from my initial vision. When we open our lives to God, we invite the Almighty to change and mold us in ways that improve our lives. As our Creator, God moves within us so that we become more like Christ. When the Lord’s work in us is complete, we will be astonished by how we have changed.
Friends,
Psalm 139:14 highlights that each of us is a masterpiece, intricately crafted by one who weaves together the fine fibers of our character and personality. Each of us has been sculpted in manner that makes us one of a kind. Even identical twins have subtle differences that make them unique. God has created us to be reflections of God’s love, mercy, compassion, and joy that the world might be positively impacted by our presence. I invite you to celebrate your uniqueness, fanning the light of God within you into a radiant flame that illumines the beauty in others.
--Pastor Anthony
Prayer:
Creator God, help us to open our hearts to you and create space for your Spirit to move within us, molding us into your image. Amen.
-- Debbie M. Rice
Prayer Focus:
Painters.
Thought for the day:
Through the Spirit, I am growing to be more like Christ.