Ephesians 2:10, New International Version

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

Is anyone else glad that we have made it through January? After all the “burr” months that seem to fly by, it was the longest, slowest month I have had in a long time.

I had big plans for January, and I just about failed every one of them. The older I get, the more I realize that my plans are mine. They are not always God’s. As a parent, I can see that clearer than ever. I distinctly remember a few years ago spending months planning a vacation, and when we got there, our kids were tired and grumpy. The first few days were just plain ugly. What a picture of our plans! They never go as planned, because God has something different in mind.

Even though we make our own plans, we were created for more. It’s hard to see that sometimes. Paul wrote in Ephesians, that “... we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)

Read that again: We are God’s handiwork. God is the ultimate Creator. He created the heavens and earth; light and darkness; animals and plants; and He created us. Creators don’t just create things to discard them. They create things for purpose– to be used. Paul enforced this idea in Philippians 1:6 (HCSB). He wrote, “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” That’s big! It means God’s not done with us until He completes His masterpiece.

While in Psalm 139:13 (ESV) we read “For it was You [God] who created my inward parts; You [Lord] knit me together in my mother’s womb.” This is also big! It lets us know that we were thought of. We were planned out. We were crafted. We were knit together. We were created for purpose. Purpose is bigger than a list of things we can check-off or accomplish in a day, a week, a month, or a year. Purpose bigger than anything we can imagine.

Friends, I am not sure how you are feeling about this year so far, but I do know that God, our Creator, desires more of us. My prayer is that we will find ways to silence outside noise and connect with Him this week.