From a distance I saw him sitting, door open.
We were delivering food boxes to one of the lower-income neighborhoods in Denver that Dream Center adopts.
I followed this vibrant black women and her daughter towards him. She had this shaved yellow hair and the sweetest demeanor. As I watched her be kind to the man blurting out words, into my mind came “God’s masterpiece.”
I saw her, but God wanted me to see him as so.
Already exhausted from a long day on the food line praying over individuals, and on a time crunch, we weren’t supposed to spend time visiting. But I had to.
He shared he needs prayer for everything right now. He cherished the moment and shared his faith. More than anything he said he needed Peace.
He poured out, at the end and beginning of himself
Water streamed down his cheeks; He wasn’t going to hold them back
He called himself “a crazy man” (that’s what the enemy tells him). I told him, no, a child of God. I asked to touch his knee and pray. After we communed with God praying for peace and physical healing, he looked at me moved. He said “I felt that. You felt that.”
I was staring at one of the most wonderful breathing works of art I’d seen. So I asked to capture it.
Here he is: God’s masterpiece.
He said he couldn’t smile for the picture, no teeth. Yet he did, and he can.
Nothing in his way
Faith and the Kingdom rest on this man
He touched my soul
He asked if I’ll be back
Little does he know he’s the one with the impact
The tear that washed through his cheek wasn’t wasted
For now I know the power I hold
To give hurting people an experience of supernatural love beyond that flows from years of intimacy with God
I’m humbled
I’m broken for them
But I’m a vessel
It’s where I end and He begins
Those who have little, don’t have the same pride, the same idols and barriers – instead willingness to receive, humility, beauty
That day I looked into the eyes of so many hurting souls and took on their burdens for a minute. It’s costly and hard to be a vessel, to put yourself aside and confront dark situations.
I am a peace carrier, Resurrection in me. The specific ways He designed me can be used for such good when I let the Musician play the instrument. When I let Jesus be Lord.
This man and every one of us is a masterpiece.
There’s no such thing as a sub-par creation.
When I was led to draw this man with this title, I knew I had to share.
Lies of identity and wounds of a broken world will try and cover up, silence, distort, corrupt the masterpiece you are. When we chose to be our own gods, our spirit died. We disconnected ourselves to the Source.
But when the Spirit that breathed you into existence (literally Spirit in the Old Testament is “Ruach” breathe of God – we are part earthly material and part heavenly) rebirths you in God’s family through faith in Christ Jesus, the fullness of the masterpiece can be uncovered and redeemed. Ive experienced it. I’ve seen it time and time again.
The men we became friends with at Dream Center, in gangs by middle school, imprisoned for drugs and murder, now exude marshmallow, butterfly hearts that pour out gratitude and love.
Danny met Jesus in the box he was confined to for 7 years, and every time he saw us would tell us with conviction and tenderness ”you are loved, adequate, valuable…”. Bernard is free from addiction and has the heart of Christ. Passion flows out of him. Now he writes poetry that made us cry. I loved sitting next to him, looking in his eyes and seeing the ocean of depth. fellowship
Grace makes you revealed as sons and daughters.
Your specific giftings and qualities and personality and story meant to contribute to a lasting, glorious Kingdom of good. You are God’s plan.
Every part of you. Every detail. So intentional. Made in His image.
God is the fullness of all that is good.
The Creator of artists is the best artist. Everything he creates is a masterpiece. And you’re trying to tell me that you, aren’t valuable and loveable? Worth the high price that Jesus paid on the Cross for you?
DREAM
A couple racer friends helped me think through what it means for me to have the courage, the risk to Dream with God. He’s spoken “Dreamer” over me 2x on world race America. It can be hard for me to dream big, part of me just wants to live today, for what is simple. But God wants to dream big with me.
They suggested I dream like I create my paintings. And after writing out the painting process, it made me think of how God forms us in our mother’s womb fearfully and wonderfully (Psalm 139):
It’s looking at a blank canvas. And dreaming up some composition with different components in my mind. It’s seeing a vision and having a heart for making something beautiful and then making it come into fruition. It rarely turns out as I thought it would, but the process is rewarding. It’s taking time on the details and painting layers that make it look better, more balanced. It’s being so involved and immersed in a piece of art that it becomes like a part of you. Something you’re proud of. It matters more when it touches others and when it’s given away, released into someone else’s hold.
You already are beautiful – intricately thought out and designed. He wants you to touch other lives. He releases you into your parents hold for some time. Though you’ll always be His. He wants to be so immersed and so involved in making your life beautiful and meaningful.
You’re not an accident. You’re not normal. You’re not forgotten.
You’re a masterpiece
Hannah! Wow. Everything about this screams Kingdom. Thanks for spending time with the very people Jesus spent time with. Thanks for modeling what it means to love with abandon. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Gal 5:6)