I am learning the deeper I dig into scripture, the more gems there are to be discovered! Today, as I was studying Ephesians, I found myself wandering into unfamiliar territory—studying the original Greek words behind the verses. It should come as no surprise that as I studied these ancient roots, the scripture bloomed!
Ephesians 2:10 came alive for me in a whole new way.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
The study I was reading pointed out that the Greek word for handiwork is poiema, which means workmanship, creation, or work. This isn’t just any kind of work—it’s not the day-to-day labor of an 8-to-5 job, but something far more significant. I had always associated handiwork with artistry--something carefully crafted with intention, purpose, and meaning. That alone felt like a beautiful truth: we are God’s intentional creation, designed with purpose and meaning. But learning this Hebrew word, poiema, is where we get our English word, poem, brought tears to my eyes.
This past year, I’ve unexpectedly developed a love for poetry! I’ve purchased more books of poetry over the past year than I have in my entire lifetime because, before this past year, that number was zero. I’ve only dabbled in writing poetry. I haven’t written much because, honestly, it’s hard! It requires careful thought, rhythm, rhyme, and the ability to communicate deep emotion in just a few words. It is a unique way to express a message--an artform that requires time, precision, and creativity.
And then, it hit me. If handiwork is poiema, and poiema gives us our word poem, couldn’t I read this verse as: We are God’s poem?
That revelation that “We are God’s poems” overwhelms me with wonder! We are living, breathing expressions of Divine poetry! If we are God’s Divine poetry, then it is worth considering what makes poetry so powerful.
Poetry is intentional. Just as every word in a poem is carefully selected for its meaning, sound, and placement, God has selectively chosen each and every detail about us. Our physical attributes—the color of our eyes, the sound of our voice—every physical attribute was crafted with precision. Our personality makeup—our tenderness or boldness, our deep-thinking mind or artistic spirit—was crafted with extreme care. Even what we might perceive as strengths and weaknesses are deliberately woven into the fabric of who we are. A poet doesn’t waste words, and God doesn’t create without purpose. We are carefully crafted expressions of Divine creativity!
Poetry has rhythm. There is a cadence to speaking poetry—the rise and fall of your voice when reading it aloud, the pauses and flows, the measured beats. Likewise, our lives have seasons and patterns that God has uniquely designed. He has orchestrated the tempos of our lives with Divine wisdom. Some seasons move with intensity, while others unfold slowly. Even the irregular rhythms—the unexpected disruptions and surprising turns—are a part of God’s poetic composition of our lives.
Poetry evokes emotion. A skilled poet carefully arranges words to stir the heart and awaken the soul. God has designed us with enormous emotional depth. The range of feelings we experience—joy, sorrow, wonder, longing—all reflect the emotional richness of our Creator. When our lives touch others, we can move them in ways that mere facts cannot, just as poetry touches hearts in a way that other types of writing cannot. The lives that God has created can inspire, comfort, challenge, and delight others. Even our struggles and pain can be transformed into something meaningful.
Poetry tells a story. Just as all the parts of a poem are used to convey a specific message—each image building upon another, each metaphor painting a picture—so, too, are our lives. The narrative of our existence isn’t random or meaningless but purposefully crafted. Every experience, relationship, triumph, and challenge becomes a line in our life poem. All the parts of our lives are specifically designed to tell a beautiful story that unfolds through time, revealing the creativity and imagination of the Master Poet.
Our lives, like poetry, reflect rhythm, depth, and the heart of the One who created us. Let's embrace the truth that we are His handiwork, His poetry, living out the story He is writing in and through us.