God Can Find us Under the Scribble.

Key Verse to Read and Treasure:

Before I formed you I the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5, ESV)

For Insight

My grandson taught me a neat trick from something he learned through an art class. Closing his eyes and using a pencil he began to scribble on a sheet of paper for several seconds. Opening his eyes he said, “Nana what picture or image do you see emerging through this scribble?” I looked but couldn’t make anything definite out. All I saw were a jumble of lines and curves converging at certain points. I watched as he began to study the scribble. Turning the sheet of paper in different directions until he had a look of knowing and began to highlight some of the lines and curves. He did not create new lines or add to his scribble just worked with what was already on the paper. The more he worked the more I could see a picture emerging. By the time he was finished there was a character I had seen many times before. Just using the scribble on the paper there was the face of someone I knew. It’s amazing what the artistic eye can do.

My grandson’s ability to see a clear picture and image through the scribble is very much like God sees our life. When we are born, we enter in with a fresh canvas but as we live not only do the trials, challenges, storms, loss, pain, and our sin cause scribble but sometimes life scribbles over us too. Sometimes experiences and events intersecting at various places cause scribble to cover us.

God assured young Jeremiah he had a plan for his future. There would be no amount of chaos, drama, storms, sin, persecution that would alter Gods vision for him. Jeremiah was doubting and fearful, but God was assured what he had spoken and written for Jeremiah would come to be.

Paul said, “In God we live and move and have our being. As even some of their own poets had said, we are God’s offspring” (Acts 17:28). Coming from the hand of God and living in God we never become disconnected from God’s original design for us. No matter how much scribble comes into play or covers us God never loses sight of us as his beautiful creation. His purposes for us may seem to diminish or fade as we live out this life, his dreams for us may seem to drown under the torrential rains and storms, his picture of us may become clouded over or hidden beneath the scribbles of sin, but God never loses touch he can see us through all of it no matter how much we are overwhelmed by life.

Have you ever felt like life has scribbled all over you? All over your hopes and dreams? Scribbled on your vision for your future? Maybe you grew up in a family that didn’t know how to affirm you or abused you (SCRIBBLE), or now in a marriage to someone who doesn’t know how to love you (SCRIBBLE), or part of a company that keeps passing you over for the promotion you have earned and deserve (SCRIBBLE) or part of a church or ministry that does not see your gifts or potential (SCRIBBLE), Injustice, discrimination (SCRIBBLE, SCRIBBLE, SCRIBBLE!)   

Was there a point in life after David had been anointed as king that he must have wondered or even doubted sitting on the throne was in his future? Perhaps he had imagined it all?

It took nearly fifteen years after David was anointed by Samuel before he ascended the throne to rule God’s people. In the meantime, Saul was scribbling all over David. First loving David then throwing things at him (SCRIBBLE). Admiring David’s courage and attacking him for those same strengths (SCRIBBLE). Giving accolades to David then chasing him down into the wilderness (SCRIBBLE). A lot of scribbling happened in between anointing and ascending but God never changed his plans. The throne was still David’s.

The scribble covering and surrounding David consisted of many things, but God never lost sight of David as king and made sure it was accomplished.

Living in the Vine we have no need to become discouraged or doubt. No reason to fear or distrust what God can do. No reason to think or feel the scribbles of life are greater or more pronounced than God who is the Supreme author and Creator of our life. God can turn the enemy’s scribbles into amazing portraits and artwork that glorify him. Scribbles don’t destroy our stories they only enhance them and as God told Job, when he gets through with us we will come forth “as pure gold.” God the author and perfector of life is always able to see and accomplish his plans for us, scribble and all.

God our Father, as the Creator and Supreme Artist you are not put off by the scribble that comes to claim and rearrange our lives. As long as we live and have our being in the Vine we are in your hand and no amount of scribble can change that. Amen  

Ask Yourself

Does the scribble in my life scare me or make me think God can’t pull off his plans for me?

What does my “scribble” consist of? Do I think there is any scribble too massive for God to work with or through? 

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