The Picture Frame

One day in worship service, God gave me a word that has stuck with me for years. I had a vision of myself walking around a store with all kinds of different picture frames, but the picture in all of the frames was exactly the same. As I was amazed at the beauty of the different frames, I was reminded that the purpose of a picture frame is to display a picture. Although the frame has beauty in its design, it is not meant to stay empty. In fact, without a picture, the frame is not fulfilling its purpose. God showed me how each person is a uniquely designed picture frame but that the picture in every frame was meant to be the same. The picture, the very center of the frame and thing put on display, was meant to be Christ Jesus. Paul said it this way, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthains 4:7)

Even though I read what the Word (Psalm 139:14) says about me, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful…,” I struggle with knowing “full well”. I tend to just read over those words and click “accept” without fully understanding it like I am accepting an end-user software license agreement. I’ve never really taken the time to grasp the words “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The Hebrew word “fearfully” means “to cause astonishment and awe,” while the word “wonderfully” means “to be distinct, marked out, be distinguished.” The Bible does not just say I’m okay or I’m tolerable; it says I am characterized by excellence, I am readily distinguishable from all others, and that I cause a mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might.”

Ephesians 2:10 NIV says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. The New Living Translation uses the words “God’s masterpiece.” That Greek word here for workmanship or masterpiece is “poiema” which translated in English is “poem” or “work of art.” Not only are we fearfully and wonderfully made, the Bible says we are the very poetry of God—the authentic and complex expression of the Creator. In our individual designs, God is capturing vivid images and weaving together his emotion and profound reflective thoughts in such a way that only the Poet could really interpret the poem.

Not only am I guilty of not really believing what God’s Word says about me, but also I focus more on the frame than on the picture inside of the frame. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." When I focus on the frame, I miss the purpose of the design which is to present Christ to the rest of the world. God never intended for the focus to be on the frame and in fact it can easily become idolatry.

Even worse than focusing only on the frame is the frequent criticism I give the frame God has given me. I want to dictate to God what I think needs to change in my life. God doesn’t just want me to hit the “accept” button when I read His word, He wants me to understand and believe what I’m saying I accept. In Isaiah 45:9-12 NET, God showed me just exactly what was in His end user agreement: “The Lord Gives a Warning” and says, “One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!” Danger awaits one who says to his father, “What in the world are you fathering?” and to his mother, “What in the world are you bringing forth?” This is what the Lord says, the Holy One of Israel, the one who formed him, concerning things to come: “How dare you question me about my children! How dare you tell me what to do with the work of my own hands! I made the earth; I created the people who live on it. It was me – my hands stretched out the sky, I give orders to all the heavenly lights.”

Every time we criticize ourselves or even others, it’s like saying to God, “What in the world are you doing? You work lacks skill!” Someone I love very much tells me often that “God doesn’t make junk!” It’s time for the frame to stop arguing with the Maker, the clay to stop arguing with the Potter, and the poem to stop arguing with the Poet. We are chosen by God, the work of his hands, for the display of his splendor. “(Isaiah 60:21)

His poiema,

Mandy Wakefield