This summer my family and I had the joy of seeing the Grand Canyon. It is such an amazingly beautiful testimony to the handiwork of God. We can certainly see in it the characteristics of its Creator - power, majesty, splendor, and beauty. You really can see God there. As Paul writes, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made." (Rom. 1:20)

What fascinates me is that the beauty of the Grand Canyon was created by what has been removed. It is what it is because of what is missing - the immeasurable volume of rock and earth that has been washed away. We too, as Christians, are beautiful because of what has been washed away by God. I am precious because of what is not there - my sins. We know that in baptism God washes away our sins. (Acts 22:16) They have been removed forever.

Often we are tempted to find value and meaning in our lives because of what we do. But as children of God we must first remember that our worth comes from what Christ has done for us. He died to take away my sins. In Him we are new and splendid creations!