Work of Art

My work as a professor has allowed me to go to some pretty cool places. I’ve had the opportunity to see amazing works of art as I’ve traveled to various conferences overseas and here in the United States. Being that I teach in an area that straddles technology and design, I’ve also had the opportunity to step into some amazing immersive experiences from well-known theme parks and museums. And with each one, I have to stop and recognize that there are people who tirelessly labored over the creation of that painting, that attraction, that sculpture. 

My guess is that the amount of labor they put into their work exceeded their desire for money or any other accolades they obtained. It was a labor of love. 

You too might have a hobby that causes you to work with your hands whether it’s painting, woodworking, cooking, graphic design or creating music. I imagine that whatever you create, you also experience a sense of joy when it is finished—even more so when other people delight in your work. 

In the same way, God poured out His love and passion into us, His creation. Ephesians 2:10 says that we are His workmanship, His work of art. Calling us a labor of love pales in comparison to the delight He feels for us. 

It’s very easy to get down on ourselves—especially when you fail or make a mistake. It’s easy to believe that God did not design us the way we should’ve been, or He made a mistake. But God knew exactly what He was doing when He created you. He is the artist, the Creator, and He knew how to create you in the unique way He wanted you to be.

But that’s not all. The rest of this verse states that God created us “for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” God has a specific purpose in mind for us, a reason He created us the way He did. 

You, my friend, are perfectly designed as God intended—for an incredible purpose that only YOU can fulfil. 

May you rest in that truth today!