Many years ago I took a plain air landscape painting class using oil paints.  I loved the idea of painting landscapes while surrounded by nature, but I was not very good at it.  Fortunately, oil paints take a while to dry; so when you mess up you simply wipe the paint off the canvas with a knife and start again!  

I imagine God’s hand in my life the same way.  I start each day with a blank canvas.  The colours that result on my canvas can be from the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Or they can be from my prideful self — my judgment, negativity, selfishness.  I see the colours of the Spirit as bright yellows, oranges, blues and greens and the colours of pride as drab and grey.  

At the end of the day, when I find that I have messed up and my canvas is full of drab and grey colours, God wipes it clean.  Then I can start a new day with a blank canvas so that God can paint vibrant colours of the fruit of the Spirit and begin a masterpiece in me.

Prayer: Lord, give us wisdom to know that you are always here with your grace to forgive our sins. May we know that we are always welcome in your presence.  Amen.