I have finally gone through the remainder of the boxes we stacked in the back of a closet when, following her Alzheimer's diagnosis, my mother moved in with us in the spring of 2004. I found several oil paintings that Mom had completed, and heartbreakingly, the beautiful unfinished painting I used as the background of the meme at the head of this post. Mom gave up painting when my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and she became his caregiver. After his death, she did not pick up a paintbrush again.
There is a pathos about this unfinished painting, but also a reminder that so long as we are bound by mortal bodies, we are going to have unfinished business. We can't reach perfection here, but we can walk the perfection path blazed for us by our Savior, confident that God finishes what He starts: "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
Christ is the One who has
finished His task ahead of us, that we may walk in His footsteps to a
successful completion of our own race. Until then, we press on in Jesus' Name.
-~~~-
I love this rendition of Press On by Selah. I found this lyric video at Youtube. There is a spelling error, but hey, we aren't perfect... yet! :-) Blessed be the Name of Him who goes before us and makes perfection possible for us at the day of Christ Jesus.
Thank you dear Linda for your words and song share. Your mother was such a talented artist. I love how you likened our lives as Christians to an unfinished painting. I do believe as long as we have breath, the Lord has work for us to do, as He says in Philippians.
ReplyDeleteI often assure my mama of this very thing--that the Lord still has a purpose for her life. I strongly believe this as well. Thank you, Abby. You are a blessing to me.
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