This Is Living: 5 Days of Inspiration to Live Your Faith预览

YOUR TIME WILL COME

Visiting the Louvre in Paris was almost overwhelming to me. The sheer size of the museum, as well as the vast number of famous artworks, is remarkable. However, only one piece of art had its own room. Only one painting had a long line of people waiting to view it: the Mona Lisa.

The Mona Lisa is a work of art that has captured the imagination of humanity for more than five hundred years. The mysterious smile, the penetrating eyes, and the overall air of mystique surrounding the Mona Lisa cannot easily be explained. It is more than just a supreme example of Renaissance art. It also encapsulates a unique spirit.

There is something about it that draws people in. The painting is a visual representation of the idea of happiness. It is a quintessential example of how art is not easily explained, and as the old-time preacher would say, “It is more felt than tell.”

The Mona Lisa may now be the world’s most famous work of art, but for most of its life it was relatively obscure. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1503, it was not recognized as a masterpiece until the beginning of the twentieth century. As late as the 1850s, Leonardo was believed to be far inferior to fellow Renaissance artists Titian and Raphael, whose paintings were worth far more money than the Mona Lisa.

It wasn’t until it was stolen in the summer of 1911 that it would capture the attention of the general public. Newspapers spread the story of the crime worldwide. When the painting was finally returned to the Louvre two years later, its fame was worldwide. Could Leonardo da Vinci have predicted that it would take four centuries for his masterpiece to be appreciated?

What about you? Have you ever wondered why some things have not happened as you hoped? You have done what is right, but there are no results. You think that being faithful has simply not resulted in the blessings of God. Galatians 6:9 (niv) tells us, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Have you been serving others and helping those in need? Have you been doing as Jesus taught us by loving others more than yourself? Maybe there are desires in your heart—hopes that are not being realized. Perhaps you believe that no matter how hard you work, no one seems to notice.

Don’t grow tired of doing good. Don’t ever think that God isn’t noticing your service. There will be a season when all your hard work will be recognized. God is making you into a masterpiece. Your time will come.