a blank canvas

Right now this blank canvas sits on my art easel in our living room...just waiting for the creation I decide on for Adeline's nursery.

There's something about a blank canvas that soothes my soul and gets me excited.  Maybe it's the unknown of what will be placed on it.  Maybe it's the relationship I develop with it as the artist.  Maybe it's the simplicity.  Maybe it's the fresh start.

Getting this canvas ready today and looking at it struck me as an "ah-hah" moment and related so closely with scripture Justin and I were looking at last night before bed.

When I came to bed, Justin was reading Matthew 25: 14-30, The Parable of the Talents.  It's a scripture we had both read before.  (I love verse 23...)

"His Master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master's happiness!"

This is a verse that often creeps into my mind (thank you Holy Spirit!) when I find myself freaking out getting a little stressed over something that's placed on my plate.  I'm reminded often that God is giving me opportunities...He wants to be able to say these exact words to me when I meet Him face to face.  And I believe, that even before that time comes, He longs to whisper this verse in my ears as I am an obedient servant of His.

So back to this blank canvas.

Later in the parable (verse 29-30), it gets a little tricky and makes you cringe a bit.  You know how parables make yah think!

"For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Yeah, read it a couple times--better yet, go and read the entire parable--it makes you stop and infer.  The Bible is good like that.  Well, the Author is good like that!

This is where our discussion began last night...what exactly this meant.  It was a verse we'd both been quick to read over and not really think too much about.  After discussing and using those awesome footnotes in our bibles, we realized that Jesus was talking about bearing fruit here.  That we shouldn't play it safe and hold onto that gift of Grace that comes through believing that Christ died for our sins and having a personal relationship with Him...but that we should bear fruit.  We have to spread the word, live it OUT LOUD, so that there is something produced from our lives as His servant.

This is where that blank canvas comes in.  His mercies are new every.single.day.  I'm thankful for a blank canvas of my heart that only comes through Him.  This blank canvas means I have a new day.  A day to be productive in my walk with Christ.  A day to create a masterpiece out of His love for me.