⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

God’s Masterpiece

I wont focus in on the first part of this passage, since it was the primary topic in our look at Romans. Instead, I want to zero in on verse ten. We are God’s masterpiece.

How incredible is that? Notice it doesn’t say we are something God put together. We are something that God came up with during a weak moment. It doesn’t say, “God created this incredible planet, with all the beauty found within it, and then took whatever was remaining and created humanity.”

We’re his masterpiece.

I can still picture standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon as the sun set. It was one of the most incredible, beautiful images I’ve even taken in. Word simply do not do it justice. It was that stunningly beautiful. The setting sun cast incredible colours on the rock, and I watched as the shadows played with the view, causing the scene to change every minute. Every person standing there was in complete silence. When darkness finally came, we still stood in silence, in awe of what we had just witnessed.

Could anything be more incredible than that view?

Well, yes. You are. I am. We are. As amazing as a sunset at the Grand Canyon is, it’s not God’s masterpiece. We are.

According to the dictionary, a masterpiece is “a person’s greatest piece of work.” When you consider an artist, his masterpiece is that one thing that stands above everything else he’s created. And that is what we are. We, humanity, stand above all else that God has created.

Let that sink in. As I stood and watched the beauty of that sunset, I whispered to God, “Lord, it’s incredible.” My focus was on what I was seeing, but if I had been listening, I would have heard God respond, “Yeah, it’s pretty cool. But Rob, look around at the people who are watching it. They are my proudest creation. Do you see those people the way I see them?”

What if we started seeing others as God’s masterpiece. The politician you like to criticize, the guy who cut you off on the highway, the homeless person sitting on the sidewalk every day. What if you saw each of them as a masterpiece? Would you respond differently? What if you looked in the mirror, and instead of seeing everything you don’t like about the person looking back, you saw a masterpiece created by God?

It’s just a thought.

My prayer: Lord, I know that I don’t see myself the way you see me. I know I don’t see others the way you see them. Too often, I see the things I don’t like. I criticize. I get frustrated with others. Help me to see the masterpiece that you have created. Not so that we become proud or arrogant, after all, it’s the artist who takes credit for the way the artwork turns out. You are the one who can boast at your creation, not us. But still, help me see myself and others the way you do. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

⁴ But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, ⁵ that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) ⁶ For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. ⁷ So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

Now You’re Alive

Yesterday, we talked about the fact that so many people have no idea that they are spiritually dead. They continually strive to find meaning and purpose in life, but because they have not turned to Christ, they remain frustrated and lost.

Those who do grab ahold of the gift of grace are in the very opposite position. Rather than death, they find themselves spiritually alive. As Jesus put it, we’re abundantly alive.

And yet, I wonder if those who are alive are any more aware of their state than those who are dead spiritually. I meet many who have turned their life over to Christ, and yet function as if they are in no better a place than anyone else. They complain, struggle, and find themselves just as discouraged as those who don’t know Christ. In many ways, there seems to be little, if any difference.

Why is that?

I’m glad you asked. I believe it’s because it takes faith to step out and live the life that we have been called to live. It’s takes faith to truly believe that Christ has made a difference in your life. We’ve been talking about that all month at Bikers’ Church (you can watch the videos here). Extreme faith is when you take the truth of Scripture and actually live it out in your life.

So, what are you waiting for? You’re alive. Start living that way.

My prayer: Lord, you gift of salvation means I am no longer dead spiritually. You have brought me back to live. You invite me to live a life that is beyond anything I could do without you. I want to live a life that fulfills your calling for me. Help me to see how that is possible. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

¹ Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. ² You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. ³ All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

You’re Dead

I’m a big fan of Monty Python. And so, I can’t help but think of the scene from “In Search of the Holy Grail” with the Dead Collector. (You can watch the video clip here.) I guess it’s just my sick sense of humour.

Here’s the thing. In the Monty Python clip, the guy really isn’t dead … at least not yet. However, as Paul points out, those who are without Christ are dead. Spiritually dead. The problem is, many don’t know it. They don’t think there’s anything wrong. They believe they’re okay. And yet, they are dead spiritually. As we’ll see tomorrow, it is Jesus who brings us back to life.

The other thing Paul points out is that those who are dead spiritually, serve the devil. Now, that’s offensive to some. To suggest that anyone who isn’t a follower of Christ is a follower of the devil is “fighting words.” And yet, as we’ve said before in this devotional, “you gotta serve somebody.” We’re all slaves. We are either a slave to Christ or a slave to the enemy of the gospel.

It’s why we need Christ. To set us free from slavery to the devil. To free us from his control. This will make more sense tomorrow.

My prayer: Lord, I know there was a time when I was dead. I was a slave to my sin and found myself continually struggling with doing the right thing. You set me free. For that I am eternally grateful. May I never lose sight of that glorious truth. Amen.

Until tomorrow.