The Masterpiece Within 显明杰作
Dexu Xia
We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.Ephesians 2:10
Writing in The Atlantic, author Arthur C. Brooks tells of his visit to the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, which contains one of the largest collections of Chinese art in the world. The museum guide asked, “What do you think of when I ask you to imagine a work of art yet to be started?” Brooks said, “An empty canvas, I guess.” The guide replied, “There’s another way to view it: The art already exists, and the job of artists is simply to reveal it.”
In Ephesians 2:10, the word handiwork, sometimes translated as “workmanship” or “masterpiece,” is from the Greek word poiēma, from which we derive our word poetry. God has created us as works of art, living poems. However, our art has become obscured: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (v. 1). To paraphrase the words of the museum guide, “The art [of us] is already there, and it’s the job of the Divine Artist to reveal it.” Indeed, God is restoring us, His masterpieces: “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive” (vv. 4–5).
As we go through challenges and difficulties, we might take comfort in knowing that the Divine Artist is at work: “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Know that God is working in you to reveal His masterpiece.
By: Kenneth Petersen
What are some of the ways that you, as God’s artwork, have become dimmed? How do you feel He’s working in your life these days?
Creator God, thank You for making me one of Your masterpieces.
我们原是祂的工作，在基督耶稣里造成的，为要叫我们行善。—以弗所书2章10节
作家亚瑟·布鲁克斯（Arthur C. Brooks）在《大西洋》杂志上，写到自己参访台湾故宫博物院的经验，那里收藏的中国艺术品数量之多可说是世上数一数二的。博物馆的导览员问他：“如果我请你想像一件还没开始动工的艺术品，你会想到什么？”布鲁克斯回答：“我会想到空白的油画布。”这位导览员说：“我们可以换个角度想：艺术品早就存在了，而艺术家的任务只是将作品显露出来。”
以弗所书2章10节中的“工作”一词，也可被译为“所造之物”或“杰作”，这个希腊语（poiēma）就是现今英语“诗歌”（poetry）一字的语源。我们原是上帝创造的杰作、活泼的诗歌，但如今我们却因罪而黯然失色，因为我们“死在过犯罪恶之中”（1节）。导览员的话也可以这么说:“我们这些杰作早已存在，而上帝这位艺术家的工作就是将我们显露出来。”确实，上帝正在修复我们这些祂的杰作：“上帝既有丰富的怜悯，……便叫我们与基督一同活过来。”（4-5节）
在经历各样挑战和困难时，我们能因知道上帝这位艺术家正在动工而得安慰：“因为你们立志行事，都是上帝在你们心里运行，为要成就祂的美意”（腓立比书2章13节）。要知道上帝正在你心里动工，为要显明祂的杰作。
作者： 毕恺腾
身为上帝的杰作，
你在哪些方面因罪而变得灰暗？
最近你可曾感受到上帝在你生命里动工？
创造万物的上帝，感谢祢创造了我，
更感谢祢，因我是祢的杰作之一