2008.01.Masterpiece

We are His masterpiece. For 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.

This verse was the theme for our Winter Conference over this Christmas break. Eight hundred students gathered from around the region to come to grow in their faith and experience God on a different level. I was asked to pray for the entire conference: the logistics, technical aspects, the speakers, etc. It was a little daunting and a little vague. I wanted to be effective, but where do you start?

Then God did it. I showed up several hours before the meeting and began to pray in the convention center before anyone came. God gave me a vision to pray through each seat that would represent every student or staff and pray that they would realize that they where His masterpiece. As I continued to pray for each person I became overwhelmed by the fact that I needed to believe this promise of Ephesians 2:10 for myself. While I was feeling unworthy to be praying, I shouted out the truth that I am worthy not because of anything of myself but because of the worthiness of God alone and the work that He has done through Christ on my behalf. And as I shouted out these truths I was struck by God and believing that I have been created anew for this very purpose- for this moment to ask for God’s will to be true in the place that I had been praying.

Upon further reflection I noticed that in Ephesians 2:10 it states that “we” are His Masterpiece, for “we” have been created anew in Christ Jesus so that “we” can do the good things He planned for “us” long ago. So much in our culture I emphasize my importance, but it is together that we make up the body of Christ and together we make this beautiful masterpiece.

Now I have returned to the University of Oregon, and God has given me a vision to pray for each and every place and person. I keep getting the impression that this place is not so big that God’s glory cannot penetrate each and every area. There is no argument too great that any man or woman can conjure up that God cannot overcome. I have made it a part of my schedule to pray through every nook and cranny of the school: department buildings, commons areas, dormitories and apartment buildings for the Holy Spirit to reach every place-- that no one at the university would go untouched by the Glory of God. I am convinced that the battle for these students will be won in the heavenly realms.