Handiwork
When I think of "Handiwork", I think of craft time in primary school. We used to sometimes make pom poms. You'd take these two cardboard circles with holes in them, like doughnuts, and then wrap wool around them, then tie it off, then cut around the edge and... BOOM! A Pom Pom came into being! At the age of 8, I thought it was quite a cool little craft. I had no idea how it worked but it was fascinating! All this work wrapping the wool around and around, then a few cuts and all of a sudden, a flat object became a fluffy, woolly ball.
When God created the world, it must have been a spectacular moment. Casting the heavens and earth, the sun, moon and stars, the vegetation, the seas, the animals. But none was more spectacular than the people he made. For some reason, God made them the pinnacle of creation. He made them in his own image. And he talks about them all the time! Like here in Ephesians 2...
Ephesians 2:6-10
6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God raised us up. Salvation is for people, not mountains or stars. He raises us up into the heavenly realms - into eternity. God has already seated us with him. And why? To show his incomparable riches. To show how much he has given us in Jesus. And how has he done this?
By grace.
The free, undeserved, gift of grace.
Saved by grace.
This is NOT from yourself. He is very clear here. We didn't get this ourselves. If came from Him. As a gift.
Not by works. So we can't boast about it. We don't deserve it. We didn't do anything for it. It was a free gift.
Save by grace, through faith. Through trusting in Jesus.
For... he says... for we are God's handiwork, created to do good works prepared for us by God.
That is amazing. We are God's handiwork. Created to do good works that he prepared for us.
He didn't just MAKE us. He has a plan for us. He has work prepared in advance for us to do. Those good things you're doing on this earth... that difference you are making... those kind words you are saying, those people you are helping, the way you are sharing the gospel with that neighbour... all prepared in advance for you.
When you make a pom pom, maybe you prepare to stick it on top of a beanie or hang it as a decoration. But you have no idea what it's going to "do" there. We are more than a craft project. We are people made in the image of God, saved by Grace and created to do God's good work on this earth. This is something to ponder and marvel at. "How did he know? Why did he? What will I do next?" All good questions. But the "take home" value is this...
You weren't an accident. You were very carefully created by God in his image for his purposes. You are his beautiful handiwork. It is God's work that has made you who you are are saved you for all eternity. It's not about MY work or YOUR work. It's about HIS work in us.
How will God work through you today?
Prayer
Thank you heavenly Father that I am made by you and for you. Thank you that I have been saved by you and for you. Help me to know you and walk closely with you each day, so that I may do the good works you have prepared for me, while I await my heavenly home with you in eternity.
Amen.