In this Sunday’s message from Phil Brown ‘God’s Masterpiece’, Phil shared from Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
There were plenty of gems to be taken away from this message, including a pretty impressive analogy around being born again, birthing pains, and the death of Christ that really sparked revelation for me.
Meanwhile, what I want to talk about is the ‘good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’ part.
Each of us, individually and collectively are a beautiful work of art, a masterpiece, a poem, and like each of those things we do have the ability to catalyse change, to elicit emotional and physical response. We can touch hearts and inspire, but only if we are on display, only if we are where people can see us.
Each of us, individually and collectively are a beautiful work of art
If all the works of art are on show in the museum, but the doors remain closed, how can the people who want to see, the people who could be impacted by their beauty access them?
The same is true of us. If we stay locked in our homes, locked in our churches. If we cover up who and what we are beneath a protective cover, how can the people around us see the handiwork of God, the Master Craftsman?
We were made to be different, both from those seeing us, and from each other. Like artwork that can be written, played, photographed, sculpted, painted, and so much more, we are different. Within each artform there are differences. No piece is identical, there may be similarities, but the colour, tone, or feel of each piece may be completely unique, because they were each made for a different audience or purpose.
We were made to be different
Our primary audience is God, he sees us, he sees you, and he is satisfied that you are exactly as you should be, because he knows that you will be the best way to share who he is with specific people. This is the ‘good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’.
This is the point where you need to look at where you have been planted. Look at your spheres of influence. Look at you gifts and talents. This is where you look at your life and see how God has made you.
He designed you knowing where you would live, what your job would look like, who your family would be. He saw each and every breath, step, and word, before you were aware you were taking them, and He saw who would cross your path, whether for a moment, or for a lifetime, and with that knowledge in hand He crafted you into the perfect masterpiece to be in that place, at that time.
He crafted you into the perfect masterpiece to be in that place, at that time.
You were made for a time such as this (Esther 4:14). You were made to live the life you are living. You were made to have your ears and eyes open for His prompting, with His words on the tip of your tongue. You were made to reflect the love, the beauty, and the vision of the one who made you, so that those around you can see that they too are indeed a masterpiece, made for a time such as this.