Silence for 2-5 minutes:
If your mind wanders, silently pray a simple prayer again and again, such as, "I surrender to your love" or "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me" until the Holy Spirit gives you a sense of peace and focus.
Scriptures:
Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a] Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! 20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.[b] 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts![c] 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
Video:
Watch the Red River Arts production of Keith sharing and singing his song Masterpiece
Masterpiece
You have searched me.
Lord you know me.
You understand my thoughts from afar
If ascend to heaven or make my bed in hell
I cannot flee from your presence Lord
Take me on a journey of the heart
Speak me as a poem
Paint me like a masterpiece of art
Show me who I am, show me who I am,
Show me who I am, in you
You did form me Lord you wove me
In the darkness of my mother’s womb
Such thoughts to me are precious
Much more than words can say
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
I look before me and there you stand
I turn around and you pursue
Surely you have hemmed me in
So, I’ll stop running away from you.
And I’ll stop hiding behind these masks
I surrender, I surrender to love
Questions:
What might it mean for you to believe that God’s desire is to know you intimately and make you a masterpiece of His grace?
Prayer:
O Lord, we often believe that we think too highly of ourselves but in reality, we think too little of what your desire is for each one of us. We are made in your image, made to be icons of your character. Take me on a journey of the heart to know who I really am in you. Amen.
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