A Work of Art - Guest Blogger Sandra Merville Hart

But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:4

I once saw a painting on a piece of hollowed out wood. It was small, rounded, and about four inches across. Under the skillful hands of the artist, the painting seemed to be a natural part of the wood. I've often seen fallen limbs and sections of broken wood while walking through the forest. Some may see the beauty of nature in the small sticks.

The artist saw much more -- a picture in the roughness of the bark. He prepared the wood for the paint and proceeded to show the rest of the world what only he could see.

People are like this to God. He considers us works of art, created by His hands much like an artist’s painting or a quilter’s quilt or a potter’s clay pot. He is pleased with His creation and we are part of that creation.

Just as the artist saw more than the wood, the potter saw more than the clay. When the clay resisted taking the shape the potter desired, the artist decided to fashion a different pot – one more suited to the clay.

God is able to do this with us. As our Creator, He takes us beyond our faults and shortcomings and gently invites us to grow beyond what we see in ourselves.

For those with low self-esteem, this verse can be very comforting. Even if we, like the clay, are marred, He makes something beautiful of lives, so much more than we can do on our own. He is truly the Master Artist.

Bio:

Sandra Merville Hart loves to find unusual facts in her historical research to use in her stories. She and her husband enjoy traveling to many of the sites in her books to explore the history. She serves as Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com where she contributes articles about history and holidays. She has written for several publications and websites including The Secret Place, Harpstring, Splickety Magazine, Pockets Magazine, Common Ground, Afictionado, and ChristianDevotions.us. Her inspirational Civil War novella, A Stranger on My Land, released on August 21, 2014.

 

Her book is available at:

Amazon and Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Land-Civil-War-Romance/dp/1941103278/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409663423&sr=1-1&keywords=a+stranger+on+my+land

Barnes & Noble and Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-stranger-on-my-land-sandra-merville-hart/1120155194?ean=9781941103272

A Stranger on My Land by Sandra Merville Hart

Back Cover

Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find a wounded soldier on their land after a battle which later became known as "The Battle Above the Clouds." Adam, a Union soldier, has been shot twice in the arm. Though Carrie is reluctant to take Adam to their cave where her family hides their livestock from both armies, she cannot turn her back on him.

But her Aunt Lavinia, bitter over what Yankees have done to their land, urges Carrie to allow Adam to die. Carrie refuses, but cannot remove the bullets. Adam's friendship with Jay softens her heart toward him. It's not long until his gratitude and teasing manner spark a friendship between the young couple. Even though Carrie's father fights for the Confederacy in far-off Virginia, her feelings for the handsome young soldier begin to blossom into love.

When Adam's condition worsens, Carrie knows a Union surgeon is needed to save his life. How can she accomplish this and keep her family's hiding place a secret?