Have you ever worked on a craft or science project, or piece of art, or built a model? You get to know that project, artwork, or model pretty well, don’t you? You know the ins and outs of what has gone into the project from what supplies were needed to the steps it took to complete it. And, the more complicated the more intimately you get to know it. That’s the point of a science project, right? To get to know something.
Have you considered that the God of all creation knows you intimately? In fact, Paul says in Ephesians 2:10 that you are His workmanship, or handiwork, or masterpiece. In other words, you exist because of God’s artistic creativity. God, the One who spoke the rivers and mountains, beaches and birds, planets and stars into existence masterfully molded you and me. He knows what it takes to make you. We are clay in the Master’s hand. Look around at this time of the year and you see the beauty of His craftsmanship in the vibrant yellows, fiery reds, and warm orange of the changing leaves. Look into the eyes of another image bearer and that amazing craftsmanship is even more vibrant in the face and make-up of another human expertly knit together by God.
If everything God makes is valuable, and it is, then just think of the wonder of you! Every part of who you are — your hair color, your height, your likes and dislikes, your strengths and weaknesses are a result of the skillfulness of our Creator. Psalm 139:13-6 reminds us that you were formed exactly according to His careful hand and that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Have you ever considered that these verses give us a peek into God’s workshop? These verses prove that He knows you perfectly.
God’s handiwork is also costly to Him. Sin entered God’s beautiful creation through the disobedience of man. But He already had a plan for redemption through the death and resurrection of His one and only Son, Jesus. God’s rich mercy is at work in you through Christ Jesus so that you can walk in the good works prepared just for you.
God made you for a purpose. He knows you, He has worked His masterful handiwork in and through you, now you get to live out His purpose for you by walking in what Paul calls, “good works.” Those good works are uniquely designed for you to walk in daily as you seek to glorify God through obedience to your parents, doing your best in school, and treating others the way you want to be treated.
This truth has been one of the pillars for working together to put on a show at STP. The very idea that there are good works for us to step in means we should be in prayer to discover what those are. Let us commit to praying with and for each other that we may seek to step into the very specific works God has prepared for us walk in. May God be glorified in all that we do in all areas of our lives.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a] Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Psalm 139:13-16 (ESV)
Commentaires