Hi there Illustrated Faith friends! Ephesians 2:10 says, “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.” I love the phrase “so we can do the good things he planned for us.” You know who I thought of when I was reading this? I saw “good things” and all my brain could think about is Martha Stewart.
I can hear Martha saying, “it’s a good thing” after showing us how she does something so amazing, yet simple. Like using steel funnels hanging on the wall with a single spool of string inside, the string hanging from the funnel spigot. It’s a good thing to keep your string in order, you know. In your dedicated package wrapping station. (maybe someday, right.) Sometimes when my little dogs are growling and playing in my crafty room while I’m trying to think holy thoughts about journaling and maybe writing this post I think about Martha. Thank goodness she can’t see me. There’s dog hair floating in the air, settling on every surface. The growls (and snoring) sometimes get so loud I yell at the furry ones (holiness feeling slipping).
I think about Martha and how she has a completely lint free room in one of her houses. It’s dedicated to gold leafing projects, I hear. Because one needs a pristine environment for such a craft. I guess I will never get around to silver leafing myself an antique mirror. Oh well.
I’m so grateful for the salvation God has given us through his grace. I created this page so that I can remember that I want to live in this newness – this new person he’s creating in me – so that I can do the good things he has already got planned for me. This makes my organized self so happy that he’s got it all planned out. Sometimes I think that maybe we discount the good things we can do.
God gives us an idea, but we feel disqualified before we even begin. And without God, we can’t. But through him, we can. Let’s remember we can do more than we think. Maybe you don’t think you’re good at praying, but you feel like you should pray out loud at a bible study. Or maybe you want to start a bible study, but you don’t think you’re qualified enough. Hmmm…where’s that coming from, anyway? Let’s keep going ahead, with our eyes on Jesus and a heart willing to do those things. Through Christ, we can do #allthegoodthings. See you soon, Cristin
