The Master of a Re-Masterpiece

The famous artist Raphael painted a masterpiece in the 16th century. The painting is called the Madonna del Cardellino and depicts the Mother Mary with her son Jesus and John the Baptist. Over the years, the prized artwork was damaged in an earthquake, shattering into 17 different pieces. People tried to repair the art by nailing it together, patching tears, and painting over cracks. Coupled with the dust and grime that accumulated over the centuries, the beauty of Rachael’s original was lost.

In the late 1990’s, a team of fifty art experts attempted to restore the painting. It took them ten years and all the advantages of the latest technology. The results are incredible: the dirt and grime are gone. Old patches and paints covering the original picture have been cleaned away. Cracks and tears vanished. The finished product looks the way Raphael intended it to look.

The neat thing about the Madonna del Cardellino is that the restoration of the artwork is as impressive as the artwork itself. The skill and ability used to restore the painting deserves to be celebrated as much as the creation of the piece. What had been lost was brought back to life by the incredible skills and abilities of a team. Art lovers will be forever grateful.

In a way, the masterful restoration of that masterpiece illustrates the graceful work of Jesus Christ. God’s masterpiece has been broken, dirtied and obscured by sin and death. Over the centuries, the original beauty of God’s creation has become almost unrecognizable. But, in Jesus, God undertook the restoration project to end all restoration projects. God’s masterpiece will be restored and the restoration work itself will be as impressive as the masterpiece He created.

As you go through the coming week, praise the Lord who is restoring your life. He is not only deserving of praise for the beauty of His creation. He is also deserving of praise for the beauty of His RE-creation. In praising the God of the restoration, you will marvel at the glories of the master – and not just the masterpiece.