We Are His Workmanship

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We Are His Workmanship

The apostle Paul was held in amazement  at what God was able to do  in his life  and in the lives  of so many others.     Paul was changed  from a murderous zealot  to a compassionate lover  of the souls  of all of God’s children.     And,  as Paul preached the gospel,  he saw  how God also changed the lives  of many others.

In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul talks about the changes  God makes  in our lives.     To begin with,  Paul describes the situation  each and every one of us  is in.    He says  in Ephesians 2:1-2,

And you were dead  in your trespasses  and sins,  in which you formerly walked  according to the course  of this world,  according to the prince  of the power of the air,  of the spirit  that is now working  in the sons of disobedience.

Everybody  without God in their hearts  is dead  in trespasses and sins.     We have all lived  in rebellion  against our Creator and Redeemer.     Every single one of us  has been dead and helpless  in our sinful tendencies.     We simply don’t have the power within us  to want to do everything  that God wants us  to do.

Our inability  to even want  to obey God  shows just how dead we are.     And our desire  to keep on boldly sinning — to keep on doing everything  that will bring us  to eternal destruction  —  shows even more  the awful depth  of our depravity.     We are helplessly caught  in our sin  and cannot get away from it  by our own will power.

Then,  with wonder,  Paul describes  how God’s love sees  our hell-bent situation.     Paul gladly reveals  in Ephesians 2:4-6,

But God,  being rich in mercy,  because of His great love with which He loved us,  even when we were dead  in our transgressions,  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…

God loves us,  even though we live  in rebellion.     God does not tell us  to save ourselves  from sliding down  into eternal damnation.     He knows  that is impossible.     That’s where God’s mercy  steps in.      So,  Paul further explains in Ephesians 2:8-9,

For by grace  you have been saved  through faith;  and that not of yourselves,  it is the gift  of God;  not as a result  of works,  that no one should boast.

Here is the holy,  God Almighty  stooping down to meet us  right where we are  in our sins,  and lovingly asking us  to just put our faith  in Him  —  in the merits  of Jesus’ death and resurrection.     He is like a loving father  picking up his bawling child,  who fell  into a slippery mud puddle.     The father gently tells his little one  that all will be okay.     Daddy will get him  all cleaned up.     That is love.

Next Paul tells us more  about God’s will  for us.     In Ephesians 2:10,  he reasons,

For we are His workmanship,  created in Christ Jesus  for good works,  which God prepared beforehand,  that we should walk  in them.

We are created by God  —  but,  when we put our faith  in His redemptive love and salvation  in Christ,  we become even more than what we were before.     We become  God’s special workmanship.     By faith,  God prepares our hearts and souls  to desire  to be just like our heavenly Father.     We see God’s wondrous love  in sending Jesus  to pay  for all our sins.     We want a beautiful love  just like that  in our lives.

God is love  and He wants His dear children  to share that love  with others.     That love lives  in the truths  of God’s whole being.     That is why  we can be confident  in doing everything  that is good and right  in God’s eyes.     We don’t have to be afraid  of what other people think.     God Almighty  is our heavenly Father.     Therefore,  we can confidently stand up  for the truth  —  we can confidently do good  to those who despitefully use us  —  we can confidently share the gospel truths  —  we can confidently allow God  to guide our living.

After all,  we are now children  of the King.

Knowing what God has made us,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     My Lord,  in the beauty  of Your love,  You want me  to live  in purity and a love  like Yours.     Complete Your workmanship  in me  to Your glory.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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