Masterpieces of Grace

Published By Deborah Negron M.A.

April, 2018

Someone told me that I should take down everything I had written on Facebook, systematically. That this would be one way for me to have material to write a book.

As I considered this advice. I was impressed with the fact, that the words and the things I have written are really not of my own abilities, nor of my own inspirations. You see, every day I look to God’s word. It enlightens me. The Holy Spirit imparts understanding and brings about the thoughts that I have authrored. For me to take them down would be as if, I was thinking I was producing any of these on my own.

Some people go to devotional books and other authors for their inspirations. This is wonderful. If it is how one precesses. But for me, I just go to God’s word. I ask the Lord to show me what He wants me to learn today. The next thing I know, as I pray and seek Him. As I look to His word it brings me great inspiration.

In the darkest days of my life, it has been the scriptures that have enabled me to have something to hope on. The Lord in His word gives us every thing we need for every trial of this life. In the Psalms I look in the mirror of my own shortcomings as David writes of his failures and his fears and his need to be recreatef. It is he who pens the verse,
“Create in me a clean heart and remove not die Spirit from me.”
It is in the Psalms that I also find, for God is my refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Ps. 46:1-2.
It is in the book of Romans, that when I begin to self condemn or too think I can’t ever measure up the Lord says, “For there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1. Then in the same chapter from verse 31-39 it reiterates that nothing can separate me from the love of God.

Oh, I don’t need, another book at this point in my life. the thing is I love to read. I read constantly about different things. I read about the news, I read about nature. I read about growing and maturing in different areas of my life. I read about living a healthy lifestyle and changing my bad habits. But at the beginning of Every day and at the end of Every Day, I pick up God’s word and I read there, what gives me my daily sustenance. The Lord Knows Best what I will face each day. So when his word he enables me to be prepared as I read through the text, I am afforded his wisdom and his ability to empower me with knowledge that is not my own.

Today in speaking to someone I said, that we were “Masterpieces of Grace.”
For some reason my mind continued on with that phrase for a while. And then the thought, just like Sea Glass.

Now the thing is, that I love the jewelry that is made from sea glass. I love to go to shops on the beaches that have a boardwalk. And when I come across the sea glass, it seems to draw my attention. I have always wanted jewelry from sea glass. But never seemed to have the cash on hand to buy it. I always have to spend on something else that is needed. The few times I have made a purchase of sea glass jewelry, it has been for someone else.

So, I decided to do a little research on the Sea Glass. What I read and discovered blew me away. I found out that sea glass is made from discarded pieces of glass from bottles and other items that have somehow, weather carelessly or intentionally ended up in the sea. Through the process of being pushed back and forth within the waves of the ocean those pieces, those shards of glass have been made into unique, precious gems.

I was surprised to read that among the Sea Glass there are specific characteristics that help determine their most highest value.
One of the most particular and precise indicators of the highest quality of natural sea glass is a formation in the glass the forms a crescent that is a “C” on the surface of the glass. These occur on the glass over much time, many decades creating this pattern containing this C. They say that if you find these you have nade a great find. These are of the highest quality.

Oh, this made my heart think of Christ. When we have him in our lives. He transforms us. Our lives may have been thrown in to the see of forgetfullness. We may have bren discarded, thrown away as unproductive. We may not have felt like we had much value. But the trials are ways the tossing of the waves of pain and loss and regret, brought us to a place of repentance and surrender. just as that sea glass is surrendered to the process of the waves; So, we, surrender to Christ, will find that he will create Beauty out of what seemed to be lost. imprinted with the “C” that is Christ,
We are made New Creations.
His Image is perfected in US day after day as we seek him and allow him to shape us, and Re-make us.

oh I praise the Lord for his word. I praise him for every inspiration and every thought that he brings into my understanding.
with the imprint of the “C”, that is CHRIST. JESUS in our lives, we have The Treasure of Heaven in earthen vessels.

Thank you Lord for loving me… thank you for saving me and re making me. thank you because you have taken my tears and you have given me reasons to cheer.

Yes, I am As Sea Glass. So Are those who Have Come To Have Christ.
We are Masterpieces of Grace.