Whether you realize it or not, you have spent a lifetime working on your self-portrait. This is not an external painting, it’s an image of yourself in your heart. You have constructed a detailed picture of who you believe you are that drives every belief, thought, emotion, and choice you will ever make.
Every time you have a decision to make, you look at your self-portrait. That internal image reminds you of who you are. This is not a conscious process. This is a subconscious process that happens in your heart without thinking about it. What you see in your self-portrait may or may not reflect the truth.
Ultimately that self-portrait in your heart should look like Jesus, but you painted over that image with pain, fear, failure, and sin. The good news is, the original image remains!
Jesus Painted A Masterpiece In Your Heart
Jesus painted an image of you as well. His portrait of you looks just like him. He used the spirit of God and his own blood to paint a new you. As he painted, he didn’t just paint over the old you, he thoroughly washed away the former you and started fresh. He is not still working on that painting, it’s finished. He completed that new image of you. That new image looks exactly like him. He painted you as holy and righteous. His painting will last forever, and it will never fade.
At any time, you can look inward and see his image in your heart. That’s the secret to the Christian life, looking inwardly to remember that Jesus has created a new you. When you are not living up to the standards of the new you, you simply need to remember to look at Christ’s image in you.
You simply renew your mind, remember what he did in you, and his power comes alive inside you.
The Magic Painting Of Jesus
Well, it’s not really magic, but it makes for a fun headline. It’s more like a graceful, but his grace works wonders. His grace is better than magic.
The image that Jesus painted of himself in you has powers. When you look at it, it can give you strength, joy, and peace. Can you imagine that? Looking at the image of Christ within can cause you to receive power that you don’t have on your own. Gazing upon Jesus in your heart causes his spirit to flow through your heart into your mind, body, and out into your life.
His spirit in you works like a seed. His spirit spreads its roots out through your entire being and begins to bear fruit after its own kind. The powerful painting of Jesus within can live its life through you in such a way that you simply enjoy the journey.
Any time you face temptation or difficulty in this life, you can turn your attention to the image of Christ within, and it will give you power.
You Get To Help Others Remember Who They Are
We have the honor of reminding our family members in Christ that the image of Jesus is in them as well. When you see a fellow believer struggling or falling for the traps of division in this world, you have the honor of describing the beautiful painting Jesus completed in their own hearts.
When others can’t see the image of Christ within, you get to hold up a picture of Christ and remind them how beautiful he is, how beautiful he is within them, and how beautiful they are.
We all forget what we look like. We all spray graffiti over the image of Christ in our new hearts at times. When we fail to see the image of Christ within, we need each other to remind us.
Right now, it seems like our world is on fire. It looks like the enemy has successfully deployed a strategy of division. I would never want to minimize legitimate issues our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are facing, but we must pull together in our greater reality.
We are the family of God. There is no division in the body of Christ. The body of Christ is a work in progress, but each member is a completed masterpiece in our spirits. When we live from our spirits and see each other with our spiritual eyes, we will be indestructible to the enemy.
Remember who you are. Gaze upon the beautiful image of Christ within. See that same image in your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Remind them of who they are. Remind yourself of who you are. Together we can join hearts and allow God to fulfill his intents and purposes through us collectively.
I pray for unity in faith in the body of Christ. I pray we realize we have the same dad. I pray we treat each other with equal dignity and worth Jesus crowned us with. I pray we remember to put love first. I pray as you read this, you feel the power of the image of Christ in your heart.
Meditation
Spend a little time seeing Christ in you. Allow his spirit to shape how you see yourself. If you’re struggling in an area, see Christ living successfully through you in that area. Yield to his grace to empower you and allow his love for you to make you whole.
