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The Work of His Hands

Before a single piece of wood was cut, the pantry existed in my mind. I knew its purpose, how it needed to function, and the beauty I envisioned for it. I drew up the plans, gathered the materials, and the sawdust began to fly. In the beginning, anyone visiting my workshop would have seen only a pile of random boards and a mountain of sawdust. To an outsider, it didn't look much like a pantry. But to me, it already was.

Slowly, I began gluing boards into panels, shaping and smoothing them. Soon, the prepared parts were arranged in neat stacks. Still, to a visitor, it was just an organized collection of wood. But I could see the finished product with perfect clarity.

Next came the detailed work: cutting the joints, fabricating the mechanisms for adjustable shelves and soft-close drawers. Then, assembly. Finally, it looked like a pantry. But the most time-consuming work had just begun. The sanding and smoothing process took longer than all the previous steps combined. During this phase, a casual observer might grow impatient, because the progress being made wasn't always obvious to anyone but me.

Lastly, the finish was applied—multiple coats of paint and protective sealer, each followed by patient buffing with steel wool and a soft cloth. This stage took even longer than the sanding. The onlooker might wonder, "Why is this taking so long? It already looks finished!" But I knew it still required these final layers of preparation and protection to fulfill the purpose for which it was being built.

When it was complete, I was filled with pride. The doors opened and closed perfectly, the shelves could be adjusted for any need, and the drawers operated with a whisper. When we finally set it in its place and filled it with groceries, utensils, and keepsakes, my joy soared. I loved looking at it, showing it to friends, and sharing pictures of my work. It was exactly what I had envisioned.

In time, the pantry began to show signs of a well-used life—dents and dings, scratches from the dog, chipped paint from the constant foot traffic of a large family. I could see every imperfection it collected. But none of them lessened the pride and joy I felt every time I saw it. I loved that pantry, not because it was perfect, but because I had created it. Nothing that happened to it could ever change the way I saw it, for it had grown from a vision that started deep in my heart. I will always see it as I first conceived it, its purpose far more important than its flaws.

And isn't this how our Creator sees us?

The psalmist David captures this divine perspective beautifully in Psalm 139.

"You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you."

— Psalm 139:1, 13–18 (NIV)

Just as I see the pantry—not as a collection of flaws but as the fulfillment of a vision—so God sees us. He sees the "dents and dings" we collect through life: our mistakes, our heartaches, and our failures. He is intimately aware of every imperfection. Yet these things never change His perspective or diminish His unfailing love. He loves us simply because we are His. We are His children, His creation, brought forth from a vision of love deep in His heart, and nothing can ever change that.

You may be going through a season of hardship, pain, or disappointment. In those times, it can be easy to think that God has become distant, or that He has somehow abandoned you. The truth is, those are the times when He is sanding, shaping, and finishing. He is always with you.

Today, be loved. Be accepted. Be who you were created to be—dents, dings, scratches, and all. You were prepared for a purpose.

Reflection

How might your perspective of yourself change today if you truly saw yourself as God's beloved creation, designed with purpose, "dents and dings" included?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for seeing us not for our flaws, but as Your wonderful work. Help us to rest in the truth that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, created for a purpose, and loved unconditionally by You, our Maker. Amen.