Day 16: His Work of Art

“For we are God’s workmanship…” Ephesians 2:10


It is the holiday season, and I have been making my lists, and checking them twice. There is shopping, wrapping, meal planning and of course, countless conversations about who might like which gift, and how we can pool our pennies together, and perhaps truly bless a family member with a particularly thoughtful present. With a family as large as ours, it is essential that the gift selections be well-considered, and that we stretch our funds in ways that will “keep on giving.”

This year, in an effort to maximize our giving capabilities I decided that I would not buy a single sheet of wrapping paper. Instead, as a nod to the thrifty concept each of our grandparents lived everyday: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, I would use only the left over materials from previous yuletide fests, or whatever could be found around my home. My inspiration had been drawn from the creative genius of a team of volunteers who with elf-like magnitude, had turned our large church sanctuary into an artsy winter-wonderland of recycled printer paper snowflake chandeliers, and trees designed of leftover to go coffee cups, adorned with what appeared to be glistening icicles made entirely of hand cut reclaimed water bottles. As in nature, each snowflake was its own unique design, and each icicle made me want open my mouth for the first chilly drop of wintery water that might land on my tongue.

As I began to consider the supplies available for my endeavor in reclamation, I had images of the leftover Santa bags that have wandered into my wrapping drawer, once filled with gifts of fudge, or the white elephant gifts I later liberated to my local thrift store. Still, I felt determined to eliminate this added cost, and use a creative eye with whatever I came across, and then, there it was, in the form of my local grocer’s brown bag.

Counter spread with bits of ribbon saved from previous gifts, and letters cut from the holiday edition of my grocery bag, glue gun at the ready, I was fortified for the task at hand. There was raffia from last years wrapping, and green wire and twigs saved from flower arrangements, gold stretchy ribbon from a candy box, moss from my gardening supplies, and a small roll of tulle from a wedding. The afternoon sped by, and with each completed gift my excitement mounted, until I found myself dragging my daughter out to ooh and ahh at my creations. So delighted was I in my workmanship, that I dragged my husband through the oohing and aahing, and went on to describe in detail each and every gift to one of my older daughters. I could hardly wait to give these gifts to my loved ones, with the hope that they would delight not only in the gift, but with the care in which they have been wrapped.

And then I understood…albeit in a small way, I understood.

We, I, am His workmanship, quite literally, we are His work of art. If I can receive such sheer enjoyment in the creation of my recycled inanimate works of art, how much joy does He experience in the creation of each one of us?

Can you imagine?

Lord,

I am awestruck, honored, and filled with joy that seems to radiate from the depth of me to know that I am quite simply, Your work of Art. How can I thank you? How I pray I will delight and please You, always reflecting well on the masterful Artist who created me.

I love You,

Your Beloved