Living at 10,000 feet opens one’s eyes to the benefit of embracing the incredible beauty of the 360 degree landscape of the Rocky Mountains, Denver, and its foothills. The morning sunrises alone offer the partaker the revelation of the limitless palette of colors the Heavenly Father possesses and how creative a Master Painter He is, as each sunrise is uniquely its own.
As with each sunrise, each of our lives has been individually and beautifully painted by our Heavenly Father, the Master Painter of the universe. The “landscape” of each woman’s life may have similar events however their stories are different. Our landscapes include mountains marking the heights of success, valleys designating the depths of our sorrows, darkness representing despair and depression, and the bright sunny frames when the “Son” has taken over our spirits and lit up our worlds.
To better understand the beautiful masterpiece that continues to be created for us by the Master Painter; one must look at how the Master, just as any artist, prepared our canvas to receive its painted story. Long before paint was placed upon our canvas, the Master prepared the surface with a sizing or gesso material. The gesso sealed our canvas’ surface and became a protective covering preventing decay and deterioration and giving strength to the canvas itself. What an incredible blessing! Our Creator placed deep within our beings a “gesso” that when the need would arise we would find an invisible strength within the depths of our spirits that would assist us in weathering the storms of life. Psalm 46:1 states, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (NIV). That same “gesso resolve” assures us that we will not succumb to decay or deterioration since everything we need is already inside us to come against destruction. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm…” (Ephesians 6:13-14a NIV).
When the priming process of our canvas was completed – its surface was ready to receive the Master’s brush! Meticulously the Master mixed the colors from His palette and began to capture our life’s landscapes. Every joyful moment, every success, every heartache, loss and grieving moment is caught on our canvas. Daughters of the Most High King, every one of us have had “stuff” happen to us in our lifetime; whether it is abuse, rejection, offense, hurt and/or pain and we need to remember that nothing has happened to us that did not first pass through the Master’s Hands to His brush. Our tests become our testimonies; our battles qualify us to become overcomers as we tap into the power of the Holy Spirit within us. There is beauty to behold in each landscape. Rejecting any storm within our lives and staying stuck in the “would a, could a, should a’s” of life, denies us the liberation of being set free as God’s healing becomes complete during our lifetimes.
The Word tells us we have been created in the image and likeness of God – oh, women of God, behold your beauty for the Master has creatively painted every moment of your existence! Embrace your landscapes!
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