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Thoughts for a Woman's Heart |
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encouragement in things that matter |
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A Picture of God
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Young children love to grab crayons and markers and express themselves on paper. Even a two-year-old will proudly display her creation. Play therapists tell us that coloring is a way for the child to tell us about herself, whether or not you fully recognize what she has drawn. As believers, we draw pictures too, and although we could draw pictures to tell about ourselves, we are continually drawing pictures that tell about God. Obviously, I’m not talking about paper and crayons. Instead, I am referring to the canvas of our lives, a creation that can speak volumes about the God I love and serve. In Scripture, Paul encourages the Corinthians to glorify God in whatever they do. What does that mean? In Vine’s Bible dictionary, the entry under "glorify" says that we are to give honor to God and we are to acknowledge His being, His attributes, and His acts. To state the principle in very simple words, I believe the concept is one in which we give to others a picture of who God is. How do we do that? It’s the "whatever we do." In whatever we do, we need a God-likeness that reveals the truth of who God is, how He thinks, and how He acts. His love and gentleness, patience, forgiveness, kindness and acceptance should be reflected by our actions and attitudes. The choices we make, the words we speak, the care we extend to others – what picture of God is revealed? For many years, I had a very distorted picture of God, but it was the responses of a very dear friend who allowed me to see God in her, that caused my picture of God to gain a clarity based in truth. When my picture of God changed, my relationship with Him changed, and I was then able to extend a far more accurate picture of God to others. When we say we are God’s daughters, others will look for the family resemblance. When my heart and my life purpose are set on glorifying my Father, the resemblance will be obvious, and yet more importantly, someone else will gain an understanding of God they never had before. |
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— Bev |
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