Tag: workmanship
The Marvelous God Who Formed Us
Scripture reading for September 23: Psalm 139:13-18 “For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I could count them, they are more than the sand. I awake and I am still with You.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
King David wrote this psalm in honor and worship of the God Who had formed him in his mother’s womb. David acknowledged that he was fearfully and wonderfully made. God did not make junk! Although man could not see or know the forming process, God saw to each detail and He alone is in charge of the secret process of forming an eternal soul with a human body.
Not only did God form each person, but He also planned and ordered the days of our existence on earth before we were even born! God has carefully thought about each person and has plans for their lives and where they live. In fact, David notes that if we could count God’s thoughts about us, they would outnumber the sand grains of the earth!
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, repeated the same thought as he told the church that all believers are God’s ‘workmanship’. The Master Creator also does amazing new creation when we repent and believe on Jesus Christ. God has good works for each believer. They simply walk in them as they follow Jesus. Our amazing Lord will finish the work He has begun in us.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the amazing workmanship in giving us new life through faith in Jesus Christ. Lead me each day to complete the works that You have prepared for me. May my thoughts line up with Your thoughts about me. Amen.
Created! Made alive! Raised up! Seated!
Scripture reading for August 26: Ephesians 2
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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.” Ephesians 2:4-10
Paul continued to encourage the Ephesians with deeper understanding of Christ’s work for them and on their behalf. God’s mercy and great love moved Him to act on behalf of us, who as sinners were under a death sentence. In Christ, we were made alive with Him as He rose from the dead. In Christ, God raised us up with Him and In Christ seated us with Him at His right hand. In Christ Jesus, we were made a new creation and given good works to do that were prepared by God the Father to fulfill His will. We owe it all to Jesus Christ!
Paul goes on to say that we are God’s workmanship. God is a Master Craftsman and produces unique individual ‘masterpieces’ in us who are made in His image. God prepares each person with the giftings and abilities to do a particular assignment while passing through this world. He prepares the good works beforehand and it is our unique glory to search out God’s will and calling in our lives. We yield our lives back to God in repentance and faith and humbly walk with the aid of Christ’s Holy Spirit to fulfill His plans. We who were once dead in our trespasses are now made alive and given purpose and new vision to walk out our new destiny as God’s adopted children!
Have you ever considered yourself as a unique ‘masterpiece’ created by God? Have you taken time to search out God’s purpose and plan for your unique life? How do these revelations of Scripture expand your world view and bring you encouragement?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing ‘workmanship’ in my own life. I marvel that You would shape me with a purpose in Your kingdom. By the Holy Spirit, I seek to daily walk out the good works that You have prepared uniquely for me. Let my life, gifts, and abilities fulfill Your will and purpose. Amen.