Have you ever seen either a sunset or sunrise that is breathtaking? Of course, it is a reminder that “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). God is a great artist; there is no question about it. But God’s greatest masterpiece isn’t some of the sunsets you may have had the privilege of seeing, or the Alps (as spectacular as they are), or the islands of Hawaii and Tahiti (as gorgeous and beautiful as they can be).

God’s greatest masterpiece of creation is you. And it is me. We are God’s greatest masterpieces. In fact, we read: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10).

That word workmanship could be translated, “we are His work of art.” We are His poem. Or as another translation puts it, we are God’s masterpiece. Without question, man is God’s greatest creation. Man is His crowning achievement. The psalmist wrote of this when he said, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — how well I know it” (Psalm 139:13–14).

Scripture tells us that God has a plan for us, even before we are conceived. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5). We understand that we were chosen to be born, to accept His salvation and His exceeding riches as His masterpieces. In addition to “workmanship” speaking of a poem or a work of art, it is a word that speaks of something that is perfect. It carries the idea of rhythm, orderliness, and beauty.

When I look at my life, I don’t necessarily see rhythm, orderliness, or beauty. And I can guarantee that I don’t see perfection. When we see ourselves, we tend to see our flaws. We see so many things that need to change. But God says, “You are my work of art. You are my poem. You are my masterwork.”

God is not like a doting father who’s oblivious to his child’s faults. Rather, He is your all-knowing, yet all-powerful Father in heaven who can envision what you will be when it is all said and done because of His work, not ours. We are a work in progress. It is a process that doesn’t happen overnight. It is going to take all of your life on Earth. It won’t be completely finished until we get to heaven. Then you will see that you indeed are a perfect work of art — God’s masterpiece.

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