THE MASTERPIECE

Submitted by Mildred Shifflet

He brushed his final touch onto the canvas of his breathtaking painting that was declared a masterpiece. The master painter treasured his painting. He deeply admired it. It was by far his best work. It was unique and unlike any other. He proudly framed his work and put it on display for all the world to see. Every detail seemed to compliment each other. You could almost smell it's fragrances and hear the sounds the artist portrayed. It looked so much alive every viewer was tempted to touch it. Needless to say there was none other in the world that matched it's beauty.

One night as the dark shadows curtained the sky, a vile, vane, jealous thief stole the masterpiece away and painted over the painting with black paint and returned it. He laid it on the artist's doorstep. Loud moaning and uncontrollable crying was heard throughout the entire town when the master discovered what happened. His broken heart controlled him with uncontrolled trembling and shaking. It was indeed his darkest hour. The master painter could hardly bear this pain. The vain and vile thief boldly approached the master about the whereabouts of his painting. The master in his bitter anguish stronghandedly threw the thief out of his presence and set guards at his gate to prevent his re-entry.

The master was never the same. He worked throughout the night and day to recover his precious print. The painting was even more precious because there wasn't any copies made of it. It was the only one of it's kind. Time and time again he'd recover a small portion of the print. He tried everything, but to no avail to recover his print in full.

The master's son grew great in the master's sight. The master and his son had a remarkable relationship. All that the master knew about his work was taught to his son. The son loved his father and left his father's house in search of a remedy to retrieve the painting. The son created some of his own paintings while he was gone creating beautiful painting wherever he went. Some jealous folks set out to destroy the son in fear that he would find the essence needed to recover his father's work. These wicked ones knew the thief and made a deal with him for a reward. They tried to tear down friendships that he made by lying to them about the truth. They suited the lies for their own pleasure. The devoted son however continued in his work, working intently toward his goal. Finally he got word from his father to get ready to return home. Go, however to the place of the skull and there you will find a vial of the essence needed.

The son was completely obedient to his father. Upon return the father warmly welcomed his son into his home. He cherished their reunion. After a short visit and reunion with one another the master restored the masterpiece washing all the blackened stain away. The masterpiece was so radiant that the master rejoiced in such triumph that the town looked on in awe. The vile and vain thief now trembled and fled knowing that since the masterpiece had been restored to it's beauty that he would be captured and destroyed, forevermore. The master, and his son and the masterpiece would prevail.

This story is about you. [Yahweh] is the master, the son is [Yahshua], and you are the masterpiece. Wherever you go, and whatever you do remember who you are and what you cost and live in reverence of it. You are a masterpiece. [Yahshua] shed his blood for you on Calvary, the essence in life that paid the price for your sins that darkened your life. When you receive this free gift to you from Jesus (Yahshua) you are cleansed and are redeemed and have a place in heaven. Your sins are forgiven, forgotten forever. --FLL