To Be Set Free

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)

     Through the cross, we have been given freedom. Sin has no dominion over us and there is no bondage to death any longer. Through the cross, God has shown us mercy and grace; we have experienced the sweetest of love. Jesus died for our lies, addictions, envy. Because Jesus died on the cross, we are now able to experience His intended freedom for our lives.
     When I accepted Christ, I had tons of junk in my life, I still do, and the most comforting knowledge of the gospel for me was that I didn't have to clean myself up for Him. He wanted me in the damaged condition I was in right at that moment. Years since then, I'm still damaged. There's still parts of my life God is chiseling away to create me into the masterpiece he planned for me long ago, but I must allow that chiseling.
     When I accepted Christ and began my walk with the Lord, I did it because of the perks I heard on my end, to be accepted and holy and blameless. As I find myself being continuously chiseled into God's masterpiece, I sometimes see myself hiding certain sins. If being holy means giving up that sin, I can wait, I kind of like living in that part of the world. But as it turns out, if we're not running towards God, we're running away from Him. One of the perks of following Christ is being made new. When we're brought to God in our sin, we're just a block of stone.
      Michelangelo was an Italian artist during the Renaissance. One of his most notable works was David, a 17-foot tall, 6-ton statue that took him three years to complete.
     Michelangelo is quoted, saying something like, "I saw the angel in the block of marble and carved until I set him free." And when he was asked how he made the statue of David, he said, "It is easy. You just chip away the stone that doesn't look like David."
     For we are God's masterpiece. We are the David to His Michelangelo, and when God sees us in the block of stone, He sees the masterpiece He planned long ago that He desires to set free.