by Marilyn Ehle
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“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good work” (Ephesians 2:10).
Do you see yourself as a hammer or as a poem? A chisel or as a Michelangelo-like masterpiece? The words “workmanship” and “works” are frequently defined in utilitarian ways, i.e., God has created us to be useful tools for the purpose of carrying out functional purposes.
It is interesting, however, that the Greek word used for workmanship is the root for the English word “poem.” How different would be our reactions if we viewed ourselves and others as beautifully created and crafted paintings, sculptures or works of literature? God, the Master Designer of all things beautiful, creates and continues to refine his works of art.
But we are not created to be merely admired by others. God intends that we imitate Him by helping to produce other works of art. Together, we and those to whom we add brush strokes of paint or words of a poem will cause the world to turn in awe to the Creator God.
~ Father, Your Word says that “you have made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Help me see that you have lovingly created beauty in me and you want me to be your instrument of beauty in the lives of others.
Questions:
1. Why did God create us?
2. Why might we tend to think of ourselves as tools vs. poetry in motion?
3. Tell us about a friend whom you see becoming more beautiful, and who is an instrument of beauty in your and others’ lives.
About the Author: http://www.talk.thelife.com/marilyn-ehle/
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We are singers around our house. Kids grew up in the choirs at church – dad sings in a Christian band and music fills the air when there are chores to be done. My youngest daughter answers this way when asked why God made her: “I was made to worship”. The influences that surround our lives truly mold us. If they are Godly influences, we’re being molded by God. I know that these devotions in the morning have changed me. My attitude is better, my stress level is down, my marriage is better than it has ever been: is it me? No. Because I make the effort, through these wonderful devotions, to spend time with God in the morning – I see the benefits in my daily life. Thank you!
What a beautiful reading this morning. I see myself as a masterpiece used by the Lord. All my trials and hardship has been used as poems to help strengthen and shape the lives of many others. Good morning ladies, especially To Fran. The renewing and my sons wedding was even like a poem. Standing in front of my son and his wife to be with many miles of trouble and hardships that we endured just by saying we will stay togehter until death do us part. It has been such a tedious journey, but what we learned in our marriage when we got frustratted with each other it was never both of us at the same time frustrated. The one who wasn’t frustrated held the foundation as the other one went through their frustrated moment and this is how we have been able to survive and stay above our problems. I woke up one morning and realized the Lord needed a witness even in this area of our lives…”marriage” and I want you ladies to know I have been tried. You may say …well you just don’t know what I went through. I want you all to know try me. I have been through it all. I thank God for now 41 years later that the rewing was much different. Te put an approval of his spirit and a actual kiss from him at the altar saying…You did it and thank you. It was was realy the spirit that was encouraging the many struggling marriages that was in the midst of our ceremony who he encouraged. Hold on ladies if at all possible. I love you all and I thank God for all of you and your testimonies that strenthen me even in my going through yet today. The enemy doesn’t want us to be in a spiritual family or have Godly relationships. That’s because he knows how beneficial they are from you and others. He knows that without a spiritual family you won’t grow properly. In my closing to all of you is Eph.4:31-32. Let’s continue to pray for Godly freinds, role models, and mentors to come into our lives.
Let me first say how blessed I feel to have found this site. God is drawing me closer with each devotional, and as I read the words of each Christian sister who writes on here. I am struggling in a tremendous way right now, and I don’t know what God has in store for me, or what my purpose is. I’m just focusing one day at a time, and keeping focused on my 2 young children to be the best mother I can be for them, and to be the kind of wife God wants me to be. I attended an amazing conference last night at which Lisa Bevere spoke. It was great to listen to her, as she spoke about exactly what this devotional is speaking of. I may not know right now what God has planned for me to do, but I trust He has greatness in store for me. Though I am going through such hardships right now, I get through each day only be knowing He is there, and this too shall pass, and He is using these hardships to draw me nearer to Him. I am grateful for the wisdom and insights of others who post here. Thank you, and God Bless you all!
God created us to love. Love is an outgoing thing. It has to be on the move or it dies. Love exchanged is life.
God is love. God is life. God is Trinity. Between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Love moves. God created us to in order to love us. In order to move beyond Himself, beyond His three parts.
God created us to grow love. The more love, the more other-centeredness, the more life. God created us to create more life and more love. God created us to create.
Proof of the opposite comes in the viewing the results of self-centeredness versus other-centeredness. Self-centeredness unabated results in stagnation, and spiritual death. In not loving others and in feeling unloved. In isolation. An ultimately in lonely death.
Maybe the pain we feel when we are overly focused on ourselves and our desires is the Spirit screaming inside us, begging to be freed to love and be loved again.
Today’s devotional reminded me of the poem “The Weaver”. It’s one that gets quoted often, but it’s always worth another read:
The Weaver
by Benjamin Malacia Franklin
My life is just a weaving
Between my Lord and me.
I cannot change the color
For He works most steadily.
Oft times He weaves the sorrow
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Until the loom is silent
And the shuttle cease to fly,
Will God roll back the canvas
And explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the skillful Weaver’s Hand
As the golden threads of silver
He has patterned in His Plan.
Godcreated us first to worship him. then we are to do his works by helping others and to help lead the lost to Him. God is love and i beleive we are to show our love to each other. i really liked the devotional this morning God bless you all what lovely laidies you all are!!
sharon
Dear Ladies…
Good Morning Ladies.. and thank you for these cherished comments! There are absolutely so many “artists” at this special comment site. I am touched and bedazzled daily by your heartfelt thoughts and expressions of HIM! Thank you, beloved Lord, for every last one of these special daughters.
Ann!! Soooo many were touched in your wonderful renewal ceremony my spirit eyes see that!/..and what a JOY to have seen that beautiful son exchange vows on your Anniversary! It is thrilling to just “think” how many the Lord must have touched through that special celebration of true and Agape love, along with the earthen kind…What an “I love and respect you” for you and your husband that your son chose that day to start his marriage journey! An incredible Anniversary gift to a loving, serving couple!
I appreciated your comments today in a pesonal way, too! Ladies.. Listen to the pearls of wisdom coming through our Sister Ann about marriage. I believe, with all my heart, she was led to this comment site to encourage in this area and others! Her long service to the Lord blessing here..The devil so wants to destroy marriages..especially those consecrated by Him. But with HIM at the front of the battles, VICTORY is possible.
Today? My husband and I “are evolving works of Art”..along with all our other Brothers and Sisters in Him! There were times, early on, though, in our marriage when we surely looked like “clumps of very unshaped clay”, or very rough looking canvas…Nice enough..sat on church pews all pretty and proper..but we didn’t know HIM personally..But that all changed in our mid-30’s..We Praise Him for those who interceeded on our behalf..and today it is a priviledge when HE urges us to pray for others..And?! We are still “evolving” (always “arriving”) while in these earthen bodies..shared that about my weekend past..very much a human, but spared by HIS unfailing love..But, the “beauty” is that HE never gives up on us..shapes us, molds us, encourages us..sends “harvesters” in our way …(some right on this wonderful site!)..to steer us in His direction..and keep us “in the Battle” and “headed to Victory” …and in the end, as we persevere and hang in there..and “learn the lessons” that HE loves us enough to allow? We will be like those beautiful Michaelangelo pieces in HIS Presence there..Glimpses of that are shining through now, too..And when the “dust” of each battle settles down, a new and better strength glows through in us revealing some of His extraordinary workmanship in us all. How blessed we are to be called “children of God”..to be in His Heavenly family even while we still inhabit earthen shells!
Thank you, dear Father, for every precious daughter (and sons, too!) here..For loving us so much that you give us the true beauty..and our outward starts to match you inside us.. as we listen for your voice and move out of the way so you “can” work (Psalm 46:10)..Thank you for not spanking us as we deserve when we are in our human moments, but teaching us through those, and saying “it is O.K..I forgive you..and will help you do better..and forgive others when they fall”..Amen and Amen!!! Love all of you and so blessed this day…This dedicated to all the beautiful “works of HIS Art” that frequent this special comment site.
all of your comments on the devotional today are just beautiful.Each one really makes me stop and think.
(( Michelle)) that is in my prayer everynight,that God would help me to be the wife and mother he made me to be.To teach me to improve in the areas I fall short in or give me what I lack.Proverbs 31 is my goal although I have many short comings compared to that verse.But I still try never the less.I know all Good things come from God, so my husband and my kids are my blessings.I want to nurture them and care for them as God would have me to,so I look for him for guidance.
my allergies have given me bronchitis and if I do to much for to long it’s hard to breath and I get tired easily. so I sit here for short terms love you all ((you are all true blessings in my life))
(( Ann & Fran)) your comments I will take to heart and remember.
Wow! I have tears in my eyes as I read each beautiful testimony here. Some long and sweet, some short and sweet…but all beautiful masterpieces.
Dorothy, I could truly picture your whole family singing praises to God as you do your chores. And a daughter that realizes at an early age that she “was made to worship”. HOW AWESOME!
Ann, such words of wisdom on marriage, and I can relate having been married 38 years, and also “have been through it all’” Too many women don’t share that the journey is tough…the enemy always trying to pull you apart…but that’s the way it is. Thanks for sharing.
Claire, loved “The Weaver”.
Sharon, what you said is so true.
Fran, as usual agree with everything you said.
Jackie, like you, I don’t feel so good, and gotta go.
Praying you feel better soon dear Jackie.
Blessings to all!!
Jackie and June L,
We’ll all lift you this weekend to feel better in those health challenges..Your lights too beautiful and bright to be silenced for even a short period! You are Proverbs 31 women..as are all others that share here..Hallelujah! (((((((Jackie and June L for healing weekend))))))) xoxoxo
Have just read Friday’s devotional, how timely, as I had just read John 20:2 and recognized that John’s reference to himself as “The one Jesus loves” was how he saw himself. That was his true identity and it impacted everything he said and did. Oh, what an impact it would have on our lives if we saw and identified ourselves as “The one Jesus loves.”
Who do you say you are? A number of years ago God showed me that I was “Pat P___ child of the King. I have used that term to introduce myself on a number of appropriate occasions, and to encourage myself in times of doubt.
If you would just hold on and know that I am God. “I will see you through and I see your tears and know that I am with you. I will never leave or forsake you. Just know there is abigger picture than just you. Trust me and I will see you through. The potter’s wheel experience is very uncomfortable …..but I garantee you, it will be so rewarding to you and yours. Hold on ladies……Can I say it like I hear him saying it to you? “Hold on my daughter I got you….hold on and just trust me. I will see you through every situation, just hold on. Just obey my word and my way. I pray strength and divine order to all of our lives. In Jesus name. Amen
This is continued from yesterday. I am trying to find a way to activate the recieve new comments feature, but it isn’t available here either. I guess this is because of my being on someone elses’s computer?
JB
Have not replied to this sight before, but was really taken with this devotion. I am away behind in reading as we were away for 2 weeks and are now leaving agian this a.m. So this will be quick, but I really wanted to mention that I have a friend who “is becoming more beautiful and is an instrument of beauty in my life and I am sure others” This is our pastor’s wife she is only in her early 30’s and has 5 beautiful children and also does so much for others. Even though we are retired and have no children at home (so not so much to do) she is always willing to help me with looking after our house while we are away (we are away a lot) and a lot of other little things. The last trip when we got back there was a plate of muffins on the kitchen table!! I just had to write about her as she is such a ray of sunshine in my life!!
JB