Masterpiece in Progress

For we are God's workmanship (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10

Do you ever have those verses that just seem to keep popping up everywhere you turn around?  Maybe in a message at church, a devotional, on the radio, or a book that you're reading?  Ephesians 2:10 has been that verse for me.  It all started last year with a series Craig preached called "Who Do You Think You Are", specifically week two, "Masterpiece."  His key verse was Ephesians 2:10 and Craig emphasized that we are not who others have said we are, we are who God says we are, His masterpiece.  I thought it was a good message and something that I should try to take to heart but honestly, that's about where it ended.  Until recently when it seems like no matter where I go, what I do, what I listen to or read that same verse keeps coming up:  "You are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." 

I don't know about you but sometimes God has to repeatedly tell me something.  Over and over and over again.  Because for some reason, I tend to stiff-arm God and not accept what He's trying to say to me.  And most of the time, He says very good things to me, very true things to me.  Usually it's my wounded heart that I let get in the way because I can't reconcile the truth of what God is saying to me with the lies that that I've believed for so long.  Truth versus trash.  It's a constant battle. 

Over the past few months, this is the truth that God has been saying to me: You are my masterpiece.  I created you to do good works for Me, good works that I long ago planned for you to do.  You are not a mistake.  You are not worthless.  You are not hopeless.  In Me, you are enough.  Everything about you has been beautifully chosen to work together for good.  And I am changing you and refining you to be more like Me so that you can fulfill the purpose that I designed just for you. 

Thank you, Lord, for Your truth.  That You have created a masterpiece where I see a mess.  Open my heart to understand and believe that truth deep within me.  Thank you for your patience with me as I slowly allow You to change me into who You created me to be.  Amen.