magnum opus

poetic work

“We are what [God] has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

The Greek word for “what has been made” is ποιημα (poiēma). It is the source of our word “poem.” We are God’s poetry.

I once included this poetic sense in a funeral sermon. “If that’s true [that we are poetry], how can we speak so poorly of ourselves? How can we speak so poorly of others? (I don’t know how, but we still manage to do so!) Look around you. You are looking at works of art conceived in heavenly places.” And I did pause until people were looking at each other. I imagine thinking of someone as a work of art was a revelation.

It would do me a world of good to practice what I preach.

Still, the verse doesn’t end there. We are masterpieces with a mission. We have been created — painted, sculpted, written — in Christ Jesus. John 1:3 tells us, “All things came into being through him [the Word], and without him not one thing came into being.” And Colossians 1:16 says, “In [Christ] all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers — all things have been created through him and for him.”

What is our destination? For good works to walk in them. Among other things, we are called to model our wondrous potential. Failing to do that means acting contrary to the intention of our divine artist. Like the people protesting (whatever they are protesting!) by defiling paintings and sculptures, we also mar the holy image by mistreating other people.

“Mistreating other people.” Now that’s really casting a wide net! It is not directly stated, but cruelty to our sisters and brothers, the animals, can also be construed as violating the artistic vision.

We make art restoration necessary. Fortunately, we have one who is an expert at that craft.

Appreciating art, appreciating literature, takes time. It can’t be accomplished, no matter how much we might insist, by multi-tasking. Ultimately, multi-tasking is something we attempt but fail. Our brains aren’t wired to have the attention span of gnats. They will not compute properly!

The same can be said of our minds. Can we really claim to appreciate each other, we works of art, if we are always distracted?

And the same can be said of our spirits. Can we claim to appreciate our Lord if we do not spend the time? We might claim we don’t have the time. We’re too busy. We’re too busy to plunge into prayer, into the word. We’re too busy to plunge into the joy surrounding us.

It is not always easy to find the magnum opus in life. It can be incredibly difficult. Perhaps gathering the wind is an easier task.

Let us take the time to listen. Just listen.