“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” ‭‭Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

We are God’s “workmanship.”

The Greek word for workmanship is poiema, or poem. Take pause here for just a moment to really think about this. Your life, as you are living and breathing it right now, is God’s poem! Before you were even born, God wrote a beautiful poem about your whole life! This is a wonderfully uplifting thought. Each of us are so incredibly special to God he has written a poem for our lives. WOW!! 

Knowing this should make it more difficult for any one of us to feel insignificant or small, unloved or not heard. Knowing how important we are to him, important enough to write a poem about us, how adored and loved we are, should help us understand we are part of God’s plan we ARE his masterpiece. This should encourage us to live out this splendid poem he has written for our lives. 

His poem for you is BEAUTIFUL. However, I know there are lots of different kinds of poems being lived out in this world. Not all of them were written by God. Some of us have done a few rewrites to Gods original work, some have listened to and let others change our poems. Some earthly poems rhyme some don’t, some poems are sweet and flowery, with an easy soothing cadence, some are angry and choppy like the writer is trying to work some tragic event out of their life, some poems are epic some are mundane, some poems are love stories or idyllic, some are dark or hard to follow, some poems are sublime and inspiring, and some are just dirty little limericks!

No matter the poem you are living out now, God can use it for good. And, as you get to know him better your poem will become his beautiful original poem. Can you trust him to lead you and show you the way?   

Some tips to living out your Godly poem: Stay in prayer and in the Word. Remember to sit and listen for his direction. Don’t overthink it, don’t make it so grand you miss it. Lower your expectations. Seriously. Lower them. Hearing God’s voice isn’t always a miraculous, life changing event. His voice won’t always be in the burning bush. More often than not God’s voice is in the softest of breezes, a song playing quietly in the background or a scripture that pops into our minds. His is the still small voice. Lean into that. Learn to be receptive to that. Be confidant in the knowledge he’s always speaking, he wants you to hear him, he is whispering poetry into your ear. 

I’m learning it takes practice to hear and know it’s God speaking and not you and your wants and desires. If I’m being honest, I struggle with quieting my mind, but I’m learning what works for me. Sometimes it’s just sitting in the dark of the pre-dawn hours breathing deeply, consciously relaxing my neck and shoulders placing my hands in my lap and asking God what he needs me to know or do. Sometimes I jump right in with question asking! Sometimes I thank him for all that I’m grateful for or I ask for forgiveness first. I may play Christian music or just sit still with my eyes closed in complete quiet, (this is my favourite). No matter which of these I do I invite the Holy Spirit in to stir me up and get me ready to receive. I try to be ready with a pen and paper or notes on my phone to write down what God is speaking to me because, as much as I think I will remember what he has said I really don’t. There’s nothing more frustrating for me than knowing God gave me something good and I lost it, the distractions of another thought or whatever, pushed it right out of my head. 

How do you know it was God? Make sure what you hear lines up with the Word of God and gives you peace. Then there’s no mistaking who it’s from. Don’t overthink it and talk yourself out of believing it’s him. It Is Him! 

They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice. John 10:5 NLT

Be Certain. Remember. Take Comfort in. Never Forget; You are His Work of Art, His Masterpiece, His Workmanship, His Piece of Poetry. 

Lord thank you for creating a beautiful poem with my life. I ask you help me live out my poem the way you wrote it, to not allow the things of this world or my own insecurities or desires to change a single word you’ve written. But should that happen I rest in the truth that you can get me back on track flowing with cadence of your poem plan and purpose. Amen