Have you ever thought of your life as a work of divine poetry? Author Sam Gordon writes, “Each of our lives is the papyrus on which the Master is producing a work of art that will fill the everlasting ages with His praise.” You are God’s masterpiece. You are His poem. You are His work of art.
The Greek word for “workmanship” is poiema, which gives us our English words poem and poetry. Poiema means something that was made, and in context is something that was made by God himself.
This great truth may be hard to actually take hold of as we exist in frail human bodies carried along in the rush and frustration of our current culture. Some of us have had things happen which make us doubt our worth. But we are his workmanship, his work of art. Moreover, we are in process.
The story is often told of the rowdy, disruptive young boy in a Sunday School class who continually frustrated his teacher. One morning the teacher asked him: “Why do you act like that? Don’t you know who made you?” to which the boy replied, “God did, but he ain’t through with me yet!” Thank you Jesus that you are continuing your good work in me and promise me that you will bring it to completion!
When we look at ourselves this way, we begin to understand our incredible value in Christ. His masterpiece is to be on display not just in time on earth but throughout eternity in heaven, so that He might receive eternal praise, glory and honor!
Timothy Keller asks “Do you know what it means that you are God’s workmanship? What is art? Art is beautiful, art is valuable, and art is an expression of the inner being of the maker, of the artist. Imagine what that means. You’re beautiful, you’re valuable, and you’re an expression of the very inner being of the Artist, the divine Artist, God Himself. You see, when Jesus gave Himself on the Cross, He didn’t say, ‘I’m going to die just so you know I love you.’ He said, ‘I’m going to die, I’m going to bleed, for your splendor. I’m going to re-create you into something beautiful. I will turn you into something splendid, magnificent. I’m the Artist; you’re the art. I’m the Painter; you’re the canvas. I’m the Sculptor; you’re the marble. You don’t look like much there in the quarry, but I can see. Oh, I can see!’ Jesus is an Artist!” And you beloved are His crowning achievement, His masterpiece!
Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice!