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God's Workmanship
"For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2: 10
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed
by your hardships and difficulties that you felt there was no way that
God could fulfill His promise to you as His child and work your trying
circumstances together for good? (Romans 8: 28, 29) Unfortunately, I must
admit that I have. These times of doubt usually occur when I resort to
my own reasoning or understanding. (Proverbs 3: 5) Instead of placing
my absolute trust in the Lord's character and in the power of His Word,
I believe the enemy's press: God is not good and He has forgotten me.
Oh Lord, help my unbelief! That is absolutely not true! Oh how it must
grieve His heart, when He has written these precious words of promise:
"Do not fear, for I am with
you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God, I will strengthen
you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with my righteous
right hand." (Isaiah 41: 10)
"When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow
you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched." (Isaiah
43: 2)
"...surely I will be with
you even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
What are you enduring today that
you need to be reassured of these incredible promises? Death of a precious
loved one? Loneliness or the pain of rejection? Mental turmoil? Depression?
Anxiety?
Oh Beloved, right now confess
your lack of trust to your Father. Allow His "living and powerful" Word
to strengthen your heart today. Look in Ephesians 1. There Paul has just
assured us:
verse 3: you are blessed with
every spiritual blessing. You have received a glorious inheritance. (verse
11)
verse 4: you were chosen before the foundation of the world.
verse 5: you have been adopted through Jesus Christ to God.
verse 6: you are the object of "God's glorious grace." (undeserved
favor) you have been accepted in the Beloved.
verse 7: you are redeemed through His blood. You are forgiven of all
your trespasses.
verse 8: you have been lavished in the grace of God!
verse 9: God has made known to you "the mystery of His will".
Then, Paul writes in verse 10:
" you are God's workmanship." The Greek word used here for "workmanship"is
poema. What English word do you see here? That's correct! You see "poem".
This word is also translated "masterpiece". You are God's masterpiece,
God's magnificent work of art. All of your life is a poem or a beautiful
portrait, skillfully crafted by your Creator God!
Perhaps there are colors splashed
on the canvas of your life that, from your perspective, do not seem to
belong. The particular "colors" of your trials do not seem to harmonize
with the rest of the picture. The poem of your life does not seem to rhyme.
Yet today, even in these times of weakness, we can find courage in knowing
that "God's ways are not always our ways", that "His ways are higher than
the heavens are from the earth (Isaiah 55: 8, 9).
"God began a good work in you
and He will be faithful to be complete it." (Philippians 1:6) He will
be faithful to complete His beautiful masterpiece in you and you will
be a breathtaking reflection of His glory and grace. Will you trust His
handiwork? To take Him at His Word-that's a choice only you can make.
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What’s
a Parent to Do? 
The
Skinny On Anorexia and Bulimia
