Poeima

     For 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

    For we are God’s handiwork, His workmanship, and His masterpiece.  The original word is poiema; which means “made, crafted, or composed.
      Poiema is where our English word poem came from.  Poems are paintings with words using rhyme and rhythm.  The poet carefully chooses each word for it’s meaning and cadence to tell a story or convey an emotion.
    When I was in fourth grade our class was given the assignment to write an original rhyming poem about a state that we would like to visit.  I still remember the first stanza.

Florida is the land I’d like to see.
Where oranges grow upon a tree.
Where oceans make a lot of noise.
And little children play with toys.
That’s why,
Florida is the land I’d like to see.

     I was quite proud of it at the time.  My teacher was not so impressed.  She gave me a C.  Perhaps if she had known that it would have a public recitation almost 50 years later, I would have done better.
     God, unlike me, is a poet.  He is the Master Poet.  God, who paints the sunset and calls the stars by name, wants to compose a poem out of your life.  You are the subject of God’s poem.  His work of art.  His masterpiece.  It may be that our life is tattered with imperfections and confusion.  We may feel like an unfinished work.  Other’s may even believe that we rate a C.  But we are in the hands of the Master Poet.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  ~2 Corinthians 5:17.

     Jesus looks at you, and at me, and He doesn't see us just for what we are. He sees us for what we are in Him. We see a lump of clay; God sees a beautiful vessel. We see a blank canvas; God sees a finished painting. We see problems; God sees solutions. We see failures; God sees a finished work.  We see a Jacob; God sees an Israel.

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;  ~Isaiah 43:1-3a

    God picks up the pieces of our lives to display His beauty and creativity.  We are His masterpiece.  We bear His signature.  We are His poeima.