Left out or put in

It was once said, "The best artists know what to leave out." (Charles de Lint) Whatever you may believe has been 'left out' of your life is perhaps by design, not because it was overlooked by the Creator! He may have designed you with a few 'left out' pieces because there will come a time when those pieces will be put into place through experience or challenges faced. He may have left them out because you didn't really need them. If God had given me a good singing voice and infinite talent with a musical instrument, I daresay my pride would have made all that talent go to my head. I sing 'pretty well', but I won't be winning any Dove Awards. I can strum a few chords on the guitar, but I am no Phil Keaggy. What God 'leaves out' of our lives might just be on purpose, but what he 'puts into' our lives is definitely not to be overlooked by anyone.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. (Psalm 139:13-16)

All prepared before we'd even lived one day - before one breath was taken, God 'put into' our lives all manner of goodness. Now we need to see that goodness brought out in all the ways he intended when he created us with such great care! I have heard many a believer say they don't have what it takes for some particular task. It is as though they felt God 'short-changed' them in the matter. There have even been some that have become bitter against God because they lack some talent or treasure they feel would have 'made them better'. Truth be told, when we are always bemoaning what we think we 'don't have', we fail to appreciate what we have.

Marvelously made...do you have any inclination what that means? In the most superb, excellent, and extraordinary manner - we were made - nothing lacking, everything set in right order, and without a doubt perfect in every way. Sin enters in and we get ourselves all 'out of whack', thinking upon what we don't have any longer - our innocence. One day we are given a chance to say 'yes' to Jesus and what happens when we do? Our lives are restored. Do the things that 'marred' our lives remain? Do we bemoan the lost chances and overlooked opportunities? Likely so, but God wants us to remember there is nothing lacking in our lives when we say 'yes' to Jesus.

Prepared in advance of us even knowing we'd need or know how to put into use all those superb, excellent, and extraordinary features of our lives. When we say 'yes' to Jesus, we finally get a view of why he created us the way he did - all the things he put into us and all those things we believe he left out. We may just find what he 'left out' isn't all that important when we see how he wants to use all he 'put into' us for his glory and honor. Just sayin!