You’re a Work of Art

It’s my birthday month and the creative juices seem to be flowing unusually strong. Each year I receive a Birthday Card from an old friend from college days who lives miles away. He sends me one annually, and its always homemade, humorous and decidedly Biblical. This year he sent me a card that included, of all things, a real 2 dollar bill! But more importantly, he shared a verse that turns out to be so appropriate for a birthday card. That verse is found in the book of Ephesians, chapter 2, and verse 10. I chose the Amplified version of the verse because it yields far more color and insight into its original meaning. “For we are God’s own handiwork, His workmanship, Re-created in Christ Jesus, born anew, That we may do those good works which God planned beforehand for us, Taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, That we should walk in them Living the good life which He pre-arranged and made ready for us to live.” As I sat reading the card and the verse, it dawned on me that there was a very encouraging message contained in these few words. It’s a message we all need to hear and be reminded of, not only on our birthday, but on every day as well. FIRST, YOU’RE AN EXQUISITE WORK OF ART! “For we are God’s own handiwork, His workmanship.” Eph. 2:10a Have you ever seen in person the works of a world-famous artist? A few years ago I took advantage of an opportunity to view a number of life-sized copies of Michelangelo’s most prized sculptures on display at Syracuse University. The genius of the man is apparent in his incredible attention to detail in creating a lifelike reproduction of the human anatomy. When Paul wrote the word, “workmanship”, he used the Greek word “poema”. It is an artistic term is used to describe something that is delicately, intricately, and carefully made. Some have translated the phrase, “We are God’s love poem.” The verse communicates the kind of labor-intensive effort put forth by an artist who’s creating a masterpiece. Such an artist pours Himself into the project as he tries to create something that is truly exquisite in every way, shape and form. This is the kind of painstaking effort God made to from and fashion you. No detail was too fine, no labor too great to expend in making you a person of exquisite beauty. SECOND, YOU’RE A RARE WORK OF ART! “For we are God’s own handiwork, His workmanship.” Eph. 2:10a Did you know that when people say that you’re a piece of work, they’re actually correct! It’s true! God doesn’t use any molds when He creates an individual. The term “workmanship” also conveys the idea of uniqueness. In His creative genius, God made only one of you. Just as a one-of-a-kind status denotes rarity in the art world, so God has made you an exclusive edition that is most rare indeed! Psalm 139 attests to this. There we find that every feature of each person is fashioned exclusively. If you have trouble accepting this truth, just consider your fingerprint, retina and voice. Each of these entities you possess has an audible or visual pattern all its own. There’s no one with the same one anywhere else in the world, or even at anytime else in history! You are God’s rare work of art! His heavenly museum will have no other piece just like you! THIRD, YOU’RE AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE WORK OF ART! “We are re-created in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:10a A recent TV special revealed what’ the newest investment commodity of the rich and famous. It isn’t gold, and it isn’t diamonds. It’s artwork! People with disgusting amounts of disposable income are flocking to artwork auctions where they drop millions of dollars on a single piece. Some buyers and sellers openly admitted that they weren’t particularly attracted to the subject or design of the piece, but bought it simply as an investment. Then there’s the classic works of art, the Renoir’s, the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandt’s. These perennial favorites are virtually untouchable, out of reach of the wealthiest collectors in the world. Museums around the world are filled with such artistic masterpieces. But the most valuable pieces of artwork are found in the church. Not any golden statues or valuable artwork, but the members of the body of Christ. The pricing of most valuable works of art is determined by the artist, the age of the piece, its rarity, or some or all of the above. Christian believers are the most valuable pieces of artwork on earth because of the cost involved in their production. Peter quotes that price for us, stating, “You were purchased by the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” Collectors and museums have paid incredibly steep prices for highly prized works of art, but I can’t recall any of them ever paying for them with their life. But that’s exactly the price Jesus paid to place us into His heavenly collection. Not only doesn’t God make junk, He doesn’t make run-of-the-mill stuff either. It cost Him everything to remake us into new people. In His sight, our value is inestimable! We are truly priceless works of art! Reminding ourselves of that will keep us emotionally balanced and spiritually secure. FOURTH, YOU’RE A THOROUGHLY PRACTICAL WORK OF ART! “That we may do good works.” Eph. 2:10c During a wartime economy that was in shambles, a church leader offered a startling solution. Referring to the plethora of pure gold statues in his sanctuary, he recommended that the “saints be melted down and put into circulation”. While his cure for the social dilemma seemed humorous, it does make a salient point. Christians were never meant to be placed on display inside a church building. They’re meant to be put into circulation in the world, performing a very practical function outside the church walls. According to this verse in Ephesians, this wise old churchman was literally right on target. Most works of art hang in museums, serving no practical purpose whatsoever. Granted, they provide us an occasion to appreciate the God-given talents of the artist who created them. But beyond that, for all practical purposes, they’re virtually worthless, incapable of using for any other functional purpose. When God designed you, He wired you with a unique mix of abilities and inclinations. You’re temperament and innate tendencies are all part of His master design for you. And that design has a very practical purpose, that of performing constructive deeds. These deeds are more clearly defined by Paul in his letter to Titus. There we discover that God wants us to engage in activities that are socially and spiritually beneficial. Our good deeds should meet real needs, providing others with assistance and support in their time of need. “Christ Jesus gave Himself on our behalf … [that we might be] peculiarly His own people who are eager and enthusiastic about living a life that is good and filled with beneficial deeds.” Titus 2:14 FIFTH, YOU’RE A THOUGHTFULLY-DESIGNED WORK OF ART! “Good works which God planned beforehand for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them, living the good life which He pre-arranged and made ready for us to live.” Eph. 2:10d I have a friend who is very gifted. They not only built their own sunroom, they designed the whole project during spare time over a four year period. That thought process included numerous drafts and redesigns as they realized more and more factors that needed to be considered as time went on and the project conception advanced. Every part had its proper and perfect place in the grand design. Each element of the design had to be figured-in in advance of construction, lest the individual parts failed to fit neatly into the sum total. If my friend went through all that trouble in remodeling their home, just imagine how much effort God put into making you the person you are. He then took the next step in designing a master plan for your life. That plan is perfect in every way. God not only gifts us, He sets things in motion to guide us into the pathway He’s specifically designed to make the best use of those endowments. He oversees the timing, location, and nature of the overall tasks He’s commissioned us to perform. For centuries people have longed to know what the future has in store for them. Whether crystal balls, palm-readings, or other forms, we seem to have an innate curiosity and drive to know what’s up ahead on the road of life. While God may only reveal His plan for us a step at a time, we can take great comfort in the assurance that there IS a plan, and that He’s doing everything possible to show us what it is. What’s more, when we get on board with what He wants us to do, we enter the mainstream current that opens up unimaginable doors and carries us along. When we walk along, step-by-step, in God’s personal, prearranged and perfect pathway for our lives, then we’ll be truly living!