Unfinished Masterpieces (You Are More Than Feet & Legs)

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Phil 1.6).

Antiques, national treasures, and masterpieces such as The David and The Mona Lisa are considered priceless and are forever preserved so that current and future generations still enjoy these great works of art.  However, the statue of David representing  Florentine independence was first commissioned to Donatello. Donatello got as far as starting to shape the feet and the legs before he died and so the 20 foot massive block of marble was left untouched and was forgotten over the next 25 years. During an inventory, officials found the marble again and were saddened by its state because it shrunk due to exposure to outside elements. They decided to look for another artist to salvage their investment. They got in touch with different artists but settled on Michelangelo. The 26 yr-old was chosen to finish the statue of David. It took 3 long years for Michelangelo to finish the statue from that huge marble block from 1501-1504 and now sits in the Academia in Florence. That work made Michelangelo a revered artist in the world in addition to his other notable works; such as the Pieta and the paintings in the Sistine Chapel.

To be sure friends there are areas of our lives that the Lord wants to see finished. We have hidden them away but it’s not too late for it to be a masterpiece. It all depends on whose hands you’re in. You are an educational masterpiece in the waiting, you are a financial masterpiece in the waiting, and you are missional masterpiece in the waiting. I want to affirm you and encourage you to encourage yourself by saying, “self….please be patient with me God is not through with me yet.” Yes it will require some chiseling, some hammering, some sanding, and some polishing. I understand its not comfortable to become conformable but He does it with the greatest of care. We may not be able to see all that God has in store for you to be but John said, …” we are already his children and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we will be just like him…”(1 John 3.2-3). You are more than just feet and legs. And He is committed to finish the work He started in us.

Myron Hardy

Lead Founding Pastor, The Omni Church

“…all that night the Lord drove the sea the sea back…” Exodus 14.21

The miracle of the Red sea walling up was an occurrence that happened all through the night. In the dark moments God was active on the night shift. The morning simply revealed what the Lord had done. I heard about a few things that happen at night. One is the Midnight Cereus. While most flowers bloom only in the daytime, some bloom only at night. When the cereus is ready to open, the buds increase dramatically in size and they do so in dramatic fashion, literally before your eyes — you can see the movement.  In the night of blooming, the bud will begin to open about 9 or 10 pm, and be wide open by midnight and release a fragrance that can scent an entire room. Our faith like flowers should blossom in the day light hours. But it is good to know that faith can blossom in the dark night of despair and release an aroma of faith to God in his throne room. As a child of God late in the midnight hours God can turn things around and make something beautiful.  

You may not be able to see what the Lord is doing in your night of despair whether you’re in school, a new parent, hard pressed financially and struggling to get back on your feet, or a servant of God laboring with all of his might in a difficult situation. Here are some words to encourage you borrowed from Fred Hammond whose refrain simply says “ Late in the midnight hour God’s gonna turn it around It’s gonna work in your favor, yes it will,  Late in the midnight hour God’s gonna turn it around and around , and around, and around. God is working in your darkest time to shine his brightest light.

Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? (Matthew 6:26). ^[1]

The Guillemot is a small arctic sea bird that lives in the rocky cliffs in the northern coastal regions. These birds flock together by the thousands and because of the crowded conditions, when the female mother guillemots lay their eggs they each lay them side by side in  long rows on narrow ledges. In a long row side by side each pear shaped egg looks almost exactly alike. What is incredible about the female guillemot is even though their eggs are laid side by side they recognize the ones that belong to them. Not only do they recognize them, they painstakingly watch over and observe serve their own eggs to insure that they are not disturbed. Ornithologists say that the mother guillemot can spot them in high the air and they look down so intensely that when and if the eggs are slightly moved the guillemots swoop down and place them back in their original position.

Friends, there are times in our lives that we feel when God looks down from heaven that because there are so many people who look like you, walk like you, act like you, and have similar attainments like you that maybe God doesn’t recognize you specifically. So many pear shaped people with the same needs, same hurts, same burdens in life sitting in cubicles, shelters and on long pews side by side that maybe you think God doesn’t give you individual attention or that He doesn’t have his eye on you entirely exclusively.

I want to reaffirm the great value God has invested in you that he watches over.  I also want to encourage you going into the New Year that God says like the female guillemot, “I can spot you in a crowd, on a long row, side by side. I see you. My eyes are on you. I watch over you and I observe your every movement. You are on my jehovistic cosmic flat panel under holy surveillance.” Friends you and I are never out of His line of sight. Nothing about you, me, or new year 2011 escapes God’s notice.

May the God who watches over the land from the beginning of the year to the end, watch over, bless, guide, establish the work of your hands, the thoughts of your mind, and the intent of your heart to be pleasing to him in every way.

Now we can all sing together….His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me. We sing because we’re happy. We sing because we’re free. His eye……and I know He watches me.

Pastor Myron Hardy                                                              

Founder & Lead Pastor of The Omni Church