Day 34 - A Masterpiece in the Making

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV) - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

For generations, Tibetan weavers in Nepal and Tibet have been making wool rugs from hand-spun, hand-dyed wool. Weavers use a unique loop and weave these rugs by hand, knot by knot. An average 6 x 9 foot rug contains between 450,000 and 800,000 knots, representing over one thousand hours of work. These rugs are unique masterpieces sold at premium prices all over the world.

The apostle Paul writes that those who have experienced the saving grace of God in Christ have become his handiwork (Ephesians 2:10). Paul uses the word poeima, meaning something made, a masterpiece. Paul explained to the young believers that they have been saved and made alive by the grace of God in Christ, not by anything they could do, and that God now continues his work of craftsmanship in their lives. These masterpieces are created for a purpose: to habitually walk in good works—those good, distinguished, honorable, and excellent undertakings and deeds that the world needs. Paul’s use of masterpiece imagery does not so much suggest completion, but the reality that believers are the work of God’s hands, masterpieces in the making.

Masterpiece imagery is used elsewhere in the Bible and refers to creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). A finely crafted masterpiece of any art form evokes wonder. It points to the artisan, composer, or creator. What kind of person could create such a thing? How did she do that? How long did it take? Whether one is gazing at Michelangelo’s paintings in the Sistine Chapel, admiring a hand-woven Tibetan rug, or listening to Beethoven’s 9th symphony, there is some effect produced in the beholder—appreciation, curiosity, admiration, or even awe. God’s divine masterpieces, the created world and re-created, rescued followers in that world, ultimately point to the glory of the Creator.

C. S. Lewis once said that we are truly divine works of art, made by God who is not satisfied until it has a certain character. Reimagining one’s life as an ongoing poiema, a masterpiece in the making, helps put the realities of one’s life—suffering, joys, failures, successes—into a larger perspective that God is somehow still at work in our lives.

PONDER:  As God’s “masterpiece in the making,” which part of your life could evoke wonder in those who are watching? 

REFLECTION or DISCUSSION:
We are God’s handiwork. What an amazing truth! He created us, on purpose, and for a purpose. The best way to think about the idea of being God’s handiwork is by creating something yourself. Take time today to make a masterpiece. Consider one of the following ideas for making a masterpiece. When the piece is finished reflect or discuss what you like about the masterpiece. Are you proud? Was it hard work? Did it take a lot of time?