In review of Ephesians 2:10 it says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Bottom Line:
We are God’s own work, refined through our relationship in Christ to do the good works God had prepared in advance for us to do.
What this means to me:
God has made me who I am. I am his handiwork. With my life connected to Christ Jesus I am made new and predestined for a life which is created to do good deeds that will ultimately help others.
In order to know God’s will for my life, I’ve got to look at what I’m good at. Why would God give me certain gifts, abilities, and talents and not expect me to use them? That would be a waste.
God gave me Spiritual gifts, Heart/Passions, Abilities, a Personality, and Experiences (SHAPE) that make me unique, and when I take time to figure out how God has shaped me, it will give me direction for where I should go with my life. I can therefore ask myself, “What am I good at? What do I love to do? What is my passion? What turns me on, and what turns me off? What is it that people affirm in me? How can God use those abilities for his Kingdom?”
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV). The word for God’s handiwork in Greek is the word poema, from which we get the word poem. I am God’s poem. I am a work of art. I am unique. There is nobody like me!
But there’s more to life than being unique. God wants me to be unique and effective. He designed me the way he did so that I could do good works. Even before I was born, God had predesigned a role for me in life. He said, “I’m going to make Mark and give him certain gifts, abilities, and talents, and I’m going to allow him to go through certain experiences; some good, some painful, and some educational. I’m going to bring all of these things together, because I want something done in the world that will take that kind of person to do it.”
Ultimately one day I’ll stand before God and he’ll ask, “What did you do with what I gave you?” If I don’t use my experiences and my shape for what God intended, I’ve missed the point.
I am saved to serve. It’s called having a ministry in which I use my talents and gifts to help others. Fulfillment means being who and what God meant for me to be.
The Bible says, “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other” (1 Peter 4:10a TLB).
Today I will take some time and to think about my SHAPE. What are the Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences God has given me that make me uniquely me? Then I’ll consider how I’d like to use them in a future ministry.
This morning as I think about the dream God has given me so far and my SHAPE, I see myself just being an example of a life lived in devotion to him. I also see myself helping to mentor others with what I have experienced and learned so far. I also enjoy leading fellowship discussions and helping others in their own relationships with God.
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