In Ephesians 2:8-10 is a spiritual truth that brings us believers both comfort and hope. God Himself, in a personal act unique to each of us, is reaching into our lives and working. His work begins even before we respond to Christ in faith, and once the Spirit awakens our faith God continues His work beyond our day of salvation into each succeeding day of our lives.
In verse 10, Paul calls us God’s workmanship. This idea of workmanship describes a masterpiece of great skill: the greatest artwork of the greatest artist; or the greatest music of the greatest composer. As a believer in Christ, this is describing God’s work in you! He is working in you to create a beautiful masterpiece unlike any other.
Catch the importance of that. The work God is doing in you is unique. Think of Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed hundreds of pieces of music for organ, choir, harpsichord, strings, and more. Scholars look at the entirety of his works and marvel at his genius, and the variety of his works that have literally defined Western music ever since. Bach’s works are all masterpieces; intricate and varied, but each one unique. So are we.
Paul reflects these thoughts in different ways in both Colossians and Philippians. But he doesn’t stop there. God has created His masterpieces for a reason: good works. And these are not just any works, but ones specifically prepared for us and placed before us by God’s hand. Bach was one of the world’s greatest composers, but just think of the orchestration that God is doing and has done each and every day in the lives of individual believers to both prepare good works for them, and to prepare them for those good works.
Take a moment and reflect on God’s faithfulness in your life. How he has brought you where you are right now, and how is he preparing you for the future? Pause to thank Him for His work in you and ask for His guidance to notice and respond to the good works He has placed before you.
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