“The Bible does not say you are God’s appliance; it says you are his masterpiece. Appliances get mass-produced. Masterpieces . . . handcrafted.”- John Ortberg
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”- Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
In Chapter 4 (“Find Out How You Grow”) of The Me I Want to Be, John Ortberg cites David’s preparation to fight Goliath. He notes that King Saul made a common battle mistake when he stepped in to help David. He figured what would help him also would benefit David. Fortunately, David possessed enough self-awareness and courage to reject Saul’s offer of helmet, armor, and sword.
Therefore, Pastor Ortberg summarizes, “God knew what Saul needed. God knew what David needed. And God know what you need.” Because God uniquely created you, he created a unique plan for shaping you. As a result, that plan fits no one else.
Put another way, God’s plan for the you He wants you to be won’t look exactly like His plan for anyone else. That means you require freedom and exploration to learn how God wants to grow you. As John humorously adds, “God does not do ‘one-size-fits-all.’ ” Furthermore, when Jesus prayed for His disciples, His prayer wasn’t “May they all have identical devotional practices.” Rather, Jesus prayed,: “Father, may they be one with you (John 7:21, paraphrased).”
In conclusion, spiritual growth needs God’s Holy Spirit in it. Only God’s capable of making things grow. And growth isn’t always predictable. We need to learn how God wants to help us grow.
Today’s question: Do you believe you’re God’s appliance or His masterpiece? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Sustainable spiritual growth”
