Introduction

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:1–10, NIV)

This is an interesting passage from Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, full of a lot of theology. There is the whole salvation by grace thing presented in this, with some shades of predestination.

What does this passage say to you? What are the theological themes in this passage that speak to you today?

I’ve highlighted a two particular words in that passage: God’s handiwork. It’s humbling and exciting to think that we are each, individually and collectively, God’s handiwork.

The Greek ποίημα (poiema) is used here for handiwork. More literally, poiema is “that which has been made”. Handiwork is not at all a bad translation. The King James translates this as “we are His workmanship”, the NRSV uses “we are what he has made us”. Of the translations I looked at, “handiwork” is the one I like best. There’s a personal aspect to it, touched directly by God’s “hands”, which is itself attributing human attributes to God. Still, I make things from time to time, and there’s an intensely personal aspect of handiwork that appeals intensely to me.

What thoughts do you have about being made by God? What words would you use to describe that making?

Poiema is used one other place in the New Testament, in Romans 1:20:

20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20, NIV)

In this case, what Paul is saying is that we understand God from His poiema – his handiwork, his creation. Creation itself, which includes us, is a testament to the nature of God. Looking at what people do, somethings that’s an inspiring thought and sometimes it’s a depressing thought. It’s also a terribly inspring thought for me, as a scientist, as I’ve learned more and more about the details and intricacies of creation.

How does the nature of God’s poiema reveal His nature to you?

Poiema, as you’d guess, is also the root from which we get poem and poetry, and I’d like to go that direction for a while. Let’s think about ourselves as God’s poem.

What images come to mind, thinking of yourself as God’s poem?

Michael Card’s Inspiration on Poiema

Poiema is also the title of an album by Michael Card[1], and he takes that theme that we are God’s poem in his song, The Poem of Your Life.

The Poem of Your Life
© 1994 Michael Card

Life is a song we must sing with our days
A poem with meaning more than words can say
A painting with colors no rainbow can tell
A lyric that rhymes either heaven or hell
We are living letters that doubt desecrates
We’re the notes of the song of the chorus of faith
God shapes every second of our little lives
And minds every minute as the universe waits by

CHORUS:
The pain and the longing
The joy and the moments of light
Are the rhythm and rhyme
The free verse of the poem of life

So look in the mirror and pray for the grace
To tear off the mask, see the art of your face
Open your ear lids to hear the sweet song
Of each moment that passes and pray to prolong
Your time in the ball of the dance of your days
Your canvas of colors of moments ablaze
With all that is holy
With the joy and the strife
With the rhythm and rhyme of the poem of your life
With the rhythm and rhyme of the poem of your life

(CHORUS)

Listen to the song. What ideas and thoughts come to your mind?"

Some things that have occurred to me, in no particular order:

I love the driving beat of this song. This is a song about being and doing, and the music itself drives me to get up.
Card mixes music with poetry and art. A song we sing with our days. Meaning more than words can say. A painting with colors not in a rainbow.
But we have choices. Are we echoing (rhyming) Heaven or Hell? Yes, God shapes moments, but we have choices. That’s one of those confusing mysteries.
Poems come in lots of forms and shapes. We can be rhythm, rhyme, or free verse.
“Ear lids” – I love it.
I love the harmonization and presentation of “time in the ball of the dance of your days”