God's Workmanship (Poiema) - Eph 2:10
"You are an epic poem, a God-imaging poiema — become flesh and spirit…. If
you think you are a boring work of prose, you don’t yet see things as they
really are…there is nothing boring about you…. remember what
Chesterton said: ‘We are perishing for want of wonder, not want of wonders’…. God is wholly absorbed in his living epic. He wants you to be too." - John Piper
There is a lot packed
into the context of Eph 2:10 that relates to God’s plan for our life that includes: adoption, the presence
of the Holy Spirit, our story, and the
voice God has given us to share through our journey.
According to the principles of hermeneutics (or methods of Bible Study), when one
finds a key word that is used only twice in the entire Bible, the uniqueness of the word becomes like a spotlight
to its significance. This includes how the word is used and defined in its immediate context, as well as the relationship of its usage in other
texts (cf. Rom 1:20 "made"). In addition, it is important to take note when
similar themes emerge using different words. Michael Card titled one of his
albums after this unique word where he draws out the theme of Eph 2 into the greater context of God’s love, mission, and purpose.
2 Cor. 3 & 4 and Phil. 3 share that we are living letters, with an unveiled
perspective designed to carry His message through the
joy of His presence and the fellowship of His suffering.
