“…He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”
Philippians 1:6b
Masterpiece – a work done with extraordinary skill; especially: a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary
Dabs of paint, strokes of the brush, the rough edge of the pallet knife. A little white to lighten the sky, a little brown to deepen the skin tone, more green for the grass. Each bit of color, every swipe of the brush creates the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel. There are over 5,000 square feet of frescoes depicting various Bible scenes on the curved ceiling of the Renaissance Chapel. It took Michelangelo four years (from July 1508 to October 1512) to complete the work on the ceiling. If he had added even one stroke, or omitted even one drop of color, it would be different, some part would not be what it is today.
Many notes, stanzas and movements create a symphony. One change and Mozart’s “A Little Night Music” may have been “A Lot of Morning Noise;” one addition and Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” may never have been played. Every word in a novel, poem or song is necessary for the stories to work.
It takes the right combination of elements for anything to become a masterpiece. It’s a fact in the works of man as well as nature. Countless grains of sand are needed to create the sea shore; immeasurable drops of water create the ocean; incredible species of plants and animals make the sea what it is. One change and it would all be different.
My favorite of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Frescoes is “The Creation of Adam.” It’s uncomplicated at first glance – Adam lounges in innocence on the grass of the garden. God reaches down from His Holy place in Heaven and stretches out to touch the tip of His finger to the tip of Adam’s. Simple, gentle. Yet, the scene is much more. Adam, naked and unashamed looks adoringly to his Maker. God is clothed in white, His majesty and strength etched on His face, surrounded by angels. The Creator puts life into His creation.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7
“For You formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139:13-14a
Our creation as humans goes beyond the physical. We are living, breathing works of art. But we are more than that. We are what we have experienced, what we have done. We are a product of every pain and every joy, every book we’ve read, every song we’ve heard, every spot we’ve visited, every person we’ve met, loved, hated, helped or hurt. Every event in our lives makes us who we are. Lumps of clay can’t become pots without being spun on the potter’s wheel. Marble doesn’t become a statue without the sculptor chiseling away the excess. The same is true of man. We can’t become what God wants us to be without being molded, shaped and chiseled. The process can be painful, but it’s necessary in order for us to be all that we can be in Christ.
Creating a masterpiece takes time, work and sometimes pain. Without the brush strokes, there is no painting. Without the notes, there is no music. Without the words, there is no story. And without the difficulties, there is no perfection in God. We are God’s great work; we are a masterpiece, but only in surrendering to Christ and His purpose.
Isaiah 64:8 “But You, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, You are our potter; and all we are the work of your hand.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
