We are God’s Handiwork

Ephesians 2:10 says-

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Have you ever wondered what that verse means in your life? How do we know what He has prepared in advance for us to do? Do we just naturally stumble into the good works? Will He show us what He wants us to do?

We are all born with natural talents and are interested in different things. When we become a Christian, we are given spiritual gifts to use in the Body of Christ. It stands to reason the good works God created for us to do fit into these categories. I have come to realize the abilities that come natural to most people seem insignificant to them. As an example, a good singer thinks anybody can sing, but we all know that is not true. Your gifts and talents are what makes you unique.

The other important thing to realize is that God does not expect you to operate with your own strength. As He told Paul, His strength is sufficient for us. The gifts and abilities He has given us are not for us. They are to complete the Body of Christ. We are not called to change the world. He only needs us to play our part along with the other members of the Body. However, if we don’t, there is a missing piece in the framework of the Body of Christ.

Also, as our life unfolds God is preparing us for the good works He planned. A great example of this is Moses. The first 40 years of Moses’ life were spent as part of Pharaoh’s family. Pharaoh’s daughter took him in as a baby.  He was well known to the Pharaoh at the time God called him to act for His people. They grew up together.

Then he spent 40 years leading sheep. That prepared him to lead the Israelites through the dessert years. At 80 years of age God called Moses to the good works He had prepared in advance, lead His people out of Egypt. When God told Moses the plan, Moses did what we all often do. Make excuses of why we are not the right person to do it. We pick up the conversation between God and Moses in Exodus 4.

Exodus 4:1-5

¹Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

²Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

³The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground, and it became a snake, and he ran from it. ⁴Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So, Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵“This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Probably our call to action won’t be as dramatic as that was, but I believe we need to focus in on what God said to the excuse. “What is that in your hand?” God can do anything to help us accomplish “the good works He prepared in advance for us to do”.

We need to ask ourselves that question. Thinking of these three areas of our life; time, talent and treasure. What do we have in our hands? We have options in all areas every day. Are we using what God has given us today or do we think what we have has no value? Scripture says we are God’s handiwork. All we need to do is let Him lead.