Recently I took a water color painting class and learned so much about myself and the medium itself. Actually, I was pretty impressed with the different ways water colors can be used to gain different effects.

One of the items we used during our water color painting session is called Miskit. It’s a product that when placed onto the water color paper before using any paint, will keep paint from adhering to the paper below the Miskit. It is like a mask.

I’ve used this concept with my Ukrainian Eggs. The wax is laid over top of a color and that color remains to the completion of the egg. The finished product will produce a colorful egg because the wax masked certain areas of the egg.

Now back to water color painting. Once the Miskit is removed, it is completely white below and it is a clean slate. Pure white paper surrounded by color. Ready for the artist to complete the picture.

I may not have explained this as well as I could, so here is a description of this product from art-made-easy.com. “Miskit is a combination of latex and ammonia that is used by artists to temporarily block out a portion of a painting until the areas surrounding it has been completed. It can then be gently removed so that portion can be painted or left white.”

As I think about Miskit in relation to my spiritual life, I see how there have been times when I have worn a mask. Perhaps trying to be something that I wasn’t or hide the fact that I was a follower of Jesus. Either way, once the “miskit” was removed, the real me was there. Under it all, I am who I am. Not on my own, but by God’s grace.

A while back I watched an episode of the Gaither Gospel Hour. I enjoy watching this show because of the musical talent combined on the stage. The music they sing brings joy to my soul, because they are about my loving Father, my gracious Savior, and my guide, the Holy Spirit.

As this program ended, the closed by singing “I Then Shall Live.”

I was captured by the lyrics of the last verse of “I Then Shall Live.”

Your kingdom come around and through and in me;

Your power and glory let them shine through me.

Your Hallowed name, oh may I bear with honor;

And may Your living Kingdom come in me.

The Bread of Life, O’ may I share with honor;

And may You feed a hungry world through me.[i]

Wow! Those are words to live by. Living a life in which God’s Kingdom is visible. Living a life of honor. Living a life so that others might see God within me and desire the same.

Oh, I know I don’t live like this all the time. And to be honest, I couldn’t live as I do without God’s Spirit leading me. Without God’s Words resonating within my heart and head daily. Without knowing that Jesus was willing to take my sin and pay my debt.

I believe it all comes down to a willingness to allow God to work in me and on me. If I continually choose to be drawn into sin, I couldn’t possibly hope to live a life described in this song. If I continually choose to put my needs and desires above God’s, I would never be able to read these lyrics with honesty. If I continually choose to turn my back on those in need, my words would be gibberish without meaning.

I’m convicted by the lyrics. I’m pressed to see what is missing in my life. I must be willing to make the necessary changes to live a life of honor.

Galatians 2:20 (NIV) tells me how to do this. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I must crucify myself and all that goes along with me. My selfishness, my pride, my earthly nature, my busyness…me.

I pray that you’ll be encouraged by these words. I may not be where I need to be, but I am in a better place than when I started this journey. May I live an honorable life. May others see Jesus in me. May God’s Kingdom receive all the glory. Amen.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] I Then Shall Live (Finlandia), Composer Jean Sibeius (1899), Copyright: Music © Breitkopf & Härtel; Lyricist Gloria Gaither (1981), Copyright: Words © 1981 Gaither Music Company.