His Masterpiece?

Last week we focused on Ephesians 2:1-10 and discovered the “before” and “after” of the Christian life. But I just could not leave these treasured passages without focusing on one powerful passage:

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT.

You are who you are because God made you.

There’s more to this than the creation of spirit, soul, and body. It’s the craftsmanship of the Craftsman. You are who you are because the God of the Universe — the only true God, made you like the clay in the potter’s hands. He shaped, formed, and established you for His good purpose. You are the product of His creative work — something of great value to Him.

He calls you His masterpiece.

Think back to your formative years as a child of God. What was it like? You were born again and so led by the Holy Spirit in a devotional love relationship with Him. Most importantly, as a new creation, with shaky knees and a trembling heart, you learned to walk with God.

The old was gone. The darkness of death faded away and the pure light of His love led the way. We were made alive together with Christ. He is faithful to keep us alive. He is the Resurrection and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him, and no one remains in the Father who does not remain in Christ.

Think about this for a minute: He who prepares a place for you also prepares you for that place.

Grace

By grace, you were saved through faith. This is true, and by grace, we continue to be shaped and formed. We have been faithful to follow Him and His faithfulness leads us to the right places, right times, and right works for His honor.

Day-by-day, God is active and moving in your life. You are a unique-crafted vessel of honor. As you continue to be yielded to His will, you will experience sweet fellowship with Him.

The yielded heart is always shaped to fit perfectly in His hands.

Unfinished

Not everyone continues to be shaped into God’s masterpiece. Sadly, the unyielded and unfaithful are incomplete — unfinished. The masterpiece needs to remain in the hands of the Father. Moving away from His creative and resourceful work is dangerous.

Today, they are being crafted by the world, the evil one, and the self. They are becoming something that they were never destined to be — vessels of dishonor.

But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?” Romans 9:20 NRSV.

One of a Kind

Trust the Lord to shape, mold, and make you just the way you are. Think about it, I know it’s difficult. Every vessel of clay must enter the hottest oven for strength and endurance. In every way, the Lord will lovingly and gently mold you into a vessel of honor — beautiful, useful, and durable.

God’s work, in the soul, is, at the deepest level, very personal. It is also good and intimate. What happens below the surface is more than meets the eye. It’s a mystery — a blessed mystery.

He’s made you who you are today, but He’s not finished with you — yet. He takes delight in the works of His hands. Without Him, we are without rhyme or reason — we are nothing. He brings balance, symmetry, and order into our lives.

Renowned artists and craftsmen are known for their work. It stands out among the best. Why? It is because their masterpiece is one of a kind. It cannot be copied, imitated, or manufactured. Their careful craftsmanship is recognized. It is treasured and valued by the craftsman.

Should we expect anything less from our Father Craftsman?

The artist places his name on the masterpiece. It is known by its appearance that it is the craftsman’s work. Even so, he adds his name. The Lord, your Father God, has placed His name on your soul, for His handcrafted vessel is treasured and honored. The Holy Spirit has placed a seal on you that reads, “Mine.”

You are who you are because He made you. The Master Designer is present with you, even now. He is as close as the breath you breathe and as near as the beating of your heart. The same God who sets history in place and upholds the universe has created you and designed you as a vessel of honor.

But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our Potter, and we are the work of Your hand. Is 64:8.

Call to Action

As I take a few minutes catching up with my emails, I’ve discovered something. I don’t know how many times I’m encouraged to calm down and take care of myself. They’re telling me to deepen my connection with myself, make space for myself, practice self-compassion, and learn how to cultivate self-love.

There is no one in the world like you! The Word is clear that the first step in becoming His masterpiece is to die to the self. It doesn’t mean that we die, but the part of us that would prefer to be away from the Father dies.

Which parts of yourself do you struggle to accept? Those are the parts God is kindly working on right now. Trust Him. Make it your goal to cultivate and nurture your love relationship with Father God. While you’re at it, maybe you could do this too.

• Thank the Lord for His tender lovingkindness
• Make space in your day to do one thing for yourself – go to the Secret Place of His presence. Just sit still in His lovingkindness. Time spent with the Creator of time is never wasted.
• Try to see yourself the way God sees you.
• Strap on your seatbelt, the adventure of being His masterpiece has just begun.

See you next week as we take a deep dive into Ephesians 2:11-22 , Unity in Christ.

May the Lord bless and keep you until we meet again,