My friend Jacob posted a video of himself playing guitar and singing with his little girl. Beyond the obvious cute and tender nature of the video, I found myself connecting with - and challenged by - something near the end. His daughter begins strumming the strings of Jacob's guitar and singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Jacob doesn't miss a beat. He forms the chords as his daughter plays and sings. She did great.

I found myself making connections between Jacob's actions and the work of God in my own life. The complex beauty of God's unseeable plans never ceases to amaze me. He works everything in my life - small, big, good, bad, brilliant and stupid - into a pattern that is a work of art. I don't see it right away - usually because I'm so focused on myself - but the artistry of His work extends into the lives and world around me. He takes it all and creates a masterpiece that is bigger than my little life.

God is like a brilliant artist painting a great masterpiece. But He chooses to let His children pick up the paintbrushes and throw some strokes on the canvas as well. Another artist might shrink back in horror, "Why are you letting your children scribble on that great piece of art?"

But God smiles. He takes those random, ignorant, sometimes ugly brush strokes, and He uses them to enhance to whole work of art. It becomes a masterwork - not in spite of the scribbles of children - because of those scribbles. His kids look at the final piece and get to say with joy, "I helped!"

Too often, I am afraid to touch the brushes and paint, and even more afraid to draw any strokes on the canvas. But my God invites me - and you - to paint with Him. Yes, He wants to teach us to paint better, but the glory of God is His ability to take even my untrained strokes and make something great from them. Because He just loves to paint with His kids!

Thanks for the reminder, Jacob!


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