10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in
Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for
us long ago.
may look like a piece of junk. But inwardly, and in reality,
you are God's work of art -- and God does not make any junk.
cocoon the butterfly inhabits for only a short time. So, while
you should take care of your present body, don't be overly
concerned about it. Most importantly, don't think of yourself
as just the body you are now living in.
universe. Someone God is "raising" to be His companion for
eternity. You are NOT insignificant.
to do with you -- but He is the artist, and He will finish His
work. (Hint: as you submit to God, the easier it is for Him to
change you into the wonderful image He has in mind.)
making you a wonderful, unique individual worthy of Himself.
art -- His masterpiece.
Later, I had an experience that helped me understand that I too am a child of God. Then you can know that you are a child of God, your life has a purpose, and everything will be all right.
Gospel Library > Magazines > Friend > January 2008
M. Russell Ballard
In the quest to achieve greatness in artistic pursuits—whether in painting, dance, music, drama, film, sculpture, or the written word—we should always seek first to achieve God’s purposes. “All great art is the expression of man’s delight in God’s work, not his own,” said John Ruskin, the great nineteenth-century English art critic. Michelangelo himself knew it, as he expressed in this statement: “The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.” Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Bernard Rands put it this way: “The creative act must never become a form of selfish indulgence.
Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > July 1996
