Bible Verse – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”Ephesians 2:10 NLT
Discovery -- Families will learn that we are God’s masterpiece! Because GOD IS THE CREATOR KING, I know He made me special! I can trust His plan for me!
Supplies -- You'll need a scarf or piece of fabric.
Amy desperately wanted blue eyes. Every time she looked in the mirror and saw her brown eyes staring back at her, she asked God to make them blue. Everyone in her family had blue eyes, and Amy could not imagine how God had slipped up and given her brown ones.
Let’s stop the story here for a minute. Do you think God made a mistake and gave Amy brown eyes when they should have been blue? Why/why not? Let’s read on…
As Amy grew up, her eyes remained the same shade of brown, but her heart for those who didn’t know Jesus grew. She learned about the people of India, and God gave her a great desire to share His message of love with them. When she was still a young woman, she traveled thousands of miles from her family to live among the women of India. The women of India cover their mouth and nose when they are in public. Amy wanted to honor the customs, so she also wore a scarf across her mouth and nose. One day, she looked in the mirror after she had put the scarf in place and what she saw took her breath away.
Can you guess what it was? What was the only part of her face that was showing? (NOTE: Put a scarf or piece of cloth over your nose and mouth so they can see what Amy saw.) (Her eyes!)
Amy’s brown eyes stared back at her. Brown eyes… just like the eyes of the Indian women she was trying to talk to about Jesus! She looked like one of them! If she had blue eyes, she would not have fit in, and the women would not have listened to what she had to say! When Amy was in her mom’s tummy, God knew she would grow up to love the Indian women and He would send her to them. He also knew that brown eyes would be better than blue eyes in India. Amy was thankful for her brown eyes from that day on.
God’s masterpiece called Amy Carmichael was perfectly created for God’s perfect plan. Each of us is God's masterpiece, and He is the Perfect Artist. Do you feel like a masterpiece?
When God creates a masterpiece, He considers much more than just how His works of art "look." His masterpieces are put together to fulfill an exciting destiny chosen by Him!
The Bible says: We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. ~Ephesians 2:10, Discover God Bible (NLT).
Sometimes life can be like a puzzle. Before a puzzle is put together, the pieces are scattered so that we don't know what the picture is. We are unsure of what the completed picture looks like and how we fit into the picture. But we can be sure God knows! He made us!
The Bible says: Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. Psalm 139:14-15, Discover God Bible (NLT).
What is one thing you really like about yourself? What is one thing you would change about yourself if you could?
The Bible says: We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. ~Romans 8:28, Discover God Bible (NLT).
When you think about the things you like and dislike, you have 2 choices: Focus on yourself. If you choose to focus on yourself, the things you dislike about yourself can become obstacles that get in the way of you trusting God. Focus on God. If you choose to focus on God, then every quality you have is an opportunity to see God work in and through whom He has created you to be.
Why does it matter? Because God is the Creator/King, I can be sure that I am His masterpiece and that He has a perfect plan for me! I will trust His plan for my life, even when it doesn't make sense to me!
Talk to God! Open with prayer.
Cross Painting on Canvas Board Let each person free paint a cross on their canvas board. Encourage them to fill in white spaces with paint. Remind them gently to make sure their cross is what people see first.
Bible Verse Canvas Paint background on canvas Use soft colors and mix When dry, paint, draw, stamp, etc Bible verse on canvas
Hand Print Canvas The hand print canvas when finished will be a canvas with handprints on it, with family photo also on canvas. Placement of hand prints and photo can be as unique as each family!
Paint entire canvas, using 1 color or several colors mixed. Take photo of each family for canvas. Print photos. When dry, “stamp” hand prints on canvas. Adhere photo when dry.
Flower Canvas Cut 1" to 2" circles from scrap booking paper & paint sky, then paint grass, blending in.
Very carefully apply a coat of mod podge to one side of each circle. Bend each one a little at the edges, then place into a curved tray. Once that side is dry, turn each circle over and brush mod podge on that side too, they will look a little like Pringles. Set circles in front of a fan to dry faster.
Assemble circles into flower shapes, glue in place, add button for center of flowers. Paint flower stems. Add tag with Bible verse or paint/write Bible verse.
Closing Devotion & Blessing A Picture Tells the Story You’ll Need a Photo
Bible Verse – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”Ephesians 2:10 NLT
What You’ll Say: Here’s a photo. What do photos tell us? (How much someone has changed, who it is, What family they belong to….etc. Wait for other answers.)
Each of us is unique, different, weird even. But each of us is important to God, just like a masterpiece! He made us just the way we are, blonde hair, and brown, and red hair too! God loves YOU! There isn’t anyone like YOU!
Close with prayer & blessing May God, who is all around you,Beginning at the bottom of the circle, slowly pour his love upon you.make a large circle with your hands. Finish by bringing yourhands down and wiggling the fingers to resemble rain. And Jesus, his life a sacrifice,Slowly make a large sign of the cross. Then walk right there beside you.move your hands out to the sides. And may God’s Holy Spirit,Cross your hands over the heart. the one who lives inside you, keep you strong,Move to a “strong man” position. Then comfort, lead and guide you!cross your arms with the hands on corresponding upper arms to communicate comfort. Bring one hand forward with “lead” and the other with “guide” to complete the blessing.
