The "Angel" Within

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

1. The "Angel" Within

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image."1

I have read that "one of the most distinguished sculptors in American history was a man named Gutzon Borglum. He was a sculptor on a grand scale who is perhaps best known for his bust of Abraham Lincoln at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. On that project he carved the head of Lincoln from a large block of marble that had long been in his studio.

"The woman who cleaned his work area had swept around the formless mass of marble day after day for a long time. Then one day, as Borglum's work progressed, she began to see the face of Lincoln emerging from the stone. She quickly turned and, looking at Borglum, asked, "Is that master Lincoln?"

"Yes," he replied.

"How did you know he was in there?" she asked.

"The great sculptor knew, for he had double vision. All great artists have such a gift. They see what is and what can be."2

Years before Michelangelo said the same thing: "I saw the angel in the marble and I chiseled until I set it free."

And that's how God sees you and me. He sees the "angel" within us (our God-given potential) and when we are truly committed to him, through his Spirit he will keep "chipping away" until we become all that he envisions us to be.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that when I surrender my life to you, through your Spirit you are making and molding me into the person you have envisioned me to be. And when some of that chipping/molding is painful, help me to realize that is all a part of your refining work in my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (TLB).
2. Leader Links, http://www.leaderlinks.com

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