ultimate daniel fast

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made!” – Psalm 139:14

Imagine you’re an art fanatic, and you receive an invitation to the private unveiling of a new work by a world-renowned painter. You have no idea how you made the guest list for such an exclusive affair. However, the envelope clearly shows your name embossed in silver ink. You can’t believe you’ve been given such an opportunity.

Finally, after weeks of anticipation, the big night arrives. As you enter the museum, you’re so excited you can hardly breathe.

In the center of the atrium floor, you spot a massive canvas draped with a thin red sheet. Eager fans surround it. The artist walks up to the podium, and a hush falls across the room. He steps up to the microphone. “Every detail you see in this painting has purpose,” he says. “I carefully selected each color and made sure every brush stroke was perfect.” Slowly, the artist lifts the sheet to reveal his work.

The crowd gasps. Then everyone bursts into thunderous applause. “Amazing!” someone says. “Extraordinary!” another person shouts. “One of a kind!” a man proclaims.

You stand there in shock and disbelief. Do they see what I see? you wonder. The painting is nothing like you expected. In fact, you think it’s horrendous.

Everyone else seems to be elated. Once the clapping dies down and people begin mingling, you approach the artist. He smiles, waiting for your words of appreciation. Looking straight into his eyes, you say, “This is the ugliest painting I’ve ever seen! The colors are awful. I definitely wouldn’t have done it the way you did. I mean, what’s with the texture? It looks like the work of an amateur! I can’t believe I waited two months to see this piece of junk.”

Never, ever would you even think of doing such a thing. Not in a million years would you criticize the creativity of an accomplished artist. Yet, we act this way all the time when it comes to God.

When you and I consider God’s handiwork, we should be in awe, much like the writer of Psalm 139: “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (verses 13-14).” But, many times we’re critical, unhappy, and downright angry about the way God made us.

How do you feel about your body? Do you focus on what you consider to be “flaws,” or do you find reasons to rejoice in God’s miraculous creation?  Every time you think negatively about your appearance or make a degrading remark about one of your features, you’re basically saying, “God, you messed up. You didn’t know what you were doing.” How offensive that must be to the Lord!

You are a priceless work of art. There’s no one else in the world like you. Zephaniah 3:17 says God takes great delight in you. He fashioned your nose, your eyes, your hair, and your body just as he wanted them to be. Don’t ever wish you had been created differently. You’re perfect just the way you are.