You Are God’s Handiwork (By Les Kovacs)

Bible Verse: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10. NIV

When I get up in the morning, I usually start my day with a prayer, but once my feet hit the floor, I’m thinking about my day ahead.  What is on my calendar for today?  What does my schedule look like?  What do I need to accomplish today?  Who will I need to meet with?  What are the priorities for my list of things to do?  I often have to catch myself and say, ”Whoa!  Wait a minute.  What are God’s plans for me today?  What are His priorities for me today?”  Because that’s what I really need to be thinking about.

As you start this day, you may or may not realize what great opportunities it might hold for you as you walk into the purpose for which He created you.  What your day brings is often closely related to who you are.  The Common English Bible translates Ephesians 2:10 as: “We are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.”  Therefore, because we, individually and collectively, are God’s accomplishment, we can be sure that He does not shape us in a vacuum, unconnected to the world around us.  It means that we can count on Him to continually work out His plan that will have us stepping into whatever He has prepared for us to do and to become.  It also means that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.  God’s work in our lives occurs all around us as well as within us.

At those times when you feel overwhelmed by everything that’s going on at home, in your head, in your heart, or in the world around you, don’t be discouraged, because you are still a work in progress.  We are all still works in progress.  The process might be demanding at times and it might even hurt a little… or a lot.  But, remember that we are the clay in the Potter’s hands, and the finished product requires a lot of molding and shaping and reworking because we often resist and struggle against His divine craftsmanship.

Some of the things we go through in life were ordained by God and others caused by our own mistakes.  But regardless, continue to stand firm in the faith proclaimed to you through the Gospel because your Maker, your heavenly Father, is not done with you yet.  If you’re wishing on tomorrow, know that good things are not just coming your way, but even more encouragingly, that they are already a part of the life that God creates with you every day.  Whether you consider this day to be a good one or not, be encouraged by the fact that whatever God does, He promises it will be good, and that is true for you, too.  Praise be to our Creator and heavenly Father!