Who? Me? Yes, You! - Week 9

“Embracing Your Identity in Christ”

I Am God’s Workmanship

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:10)

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Ps. 139:14-16)

Do you remember these Max Lucado quotes that surfaced a few years ago?

“If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning…Face it, friend. He is crazy about you!”

I hope you smiled as you read these words. Of course these are simply words seeking to help us perceive how God feels about us. Our scripture tells us that we are His workmanship, His handiwork, His piece of art. Almighty God created, formed and shaped you with His spoken word. You are His piece of art. He sees perfection and beauty. Nothing needs to be changed to make you acceptable in His sight. You are His masterpiece created to proclaim His goodness. He loves you! Yes He loves your crazy curly hair, your pudgy toes, your knobby knees and your snorting laugh. He delights in you. He mixed the paint for the color of your skin and the shade of your eyes. He made the tone of your voice to be His delight. It is our commercial world that has given us a different mirror. Remember that in this devotion we are using God’s word as our mirror seeking to reclaim the original image that God purchased for us in Christ Jesus.

When you complain about the way He made you, you are dishonoring God. When you have self-hatred in any form, you are not loving God. Psalms 139 tells us that as we were woven together in our mother’s womb, He saw us. You are unique to God.

Confess to God all the places that you are not mirroring His image and loving His workmanship. He formed you with purpose and value. Ask God to open your ears, eyes and heart to receive these words that He speaks over you. Declare that He is good and all that He does is good. Thank Him for uniquely making you and ask Him to help you see your worth through His eyes.

“The eternal self-existent God, the God who is three in One, He who dwells in the center of your being, is a powerful valiant warrior. He has come to set you free, to keep you safe and brings you to victory. He is cheered and He beams with exceeding joy and takes pleasure in your presence. He has engraved a place for Himself in you and there He quietly rests in His love and affection for you. He cannot contain Himself at the thought of you, and with the greatest joy spins around wildly for anticipation over you…and has placed you above all other creations and in the highest place in His priorities. In fact, He shouts and sings in triumph joyfully proclaiming the gladness of His heart in a song of rejoicing. All because of you!” Zephaniah 3:17 (Paraphrase)