There’s a big difference between something that rolls off an assembly line and something forged by hand. Mass-produced items are stamped out by the thousands—identical, predictable, and often disposable. But a craftsman’s work is different. Every strike of the hammer, every cut of the chisel, every drop of sweat matters. What is made by hand bears the marks of its maker—unique, intentional, and full of purpose. Men, this is how God made us. We are not spiritual factory products. We are His workmanship—His custom creation—shaped by the Master’s hands to reflect the image of His Son and to fulfill assignments He prepared for us long before we were born.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)
Men, before we were born, God knew us. He knew that not only were we going to be born, but that we were also chosen for assignments. Our predestined assignment is to be conformed into the image of His Son, Jesus! Yes, God not only knew us before we were born, but He created us to do good works.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
I actually like the ESV translation of this verse compared to the NIV. Workmanship fits better than handiwork, at least from my perspective. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. These works not only give our lives meaning, but they also glorify our Father in Heaven and, at the same time, prove to the world we are His children.
But notice that Paul says we are to be conformed! This to be does not mean we are not born with certain innate qualities. No! We grow into them. As brothers and sisters of Jesus, He has prepared good works ahead of time for us to do. Like the first man, Adam, the Lord created us for two reasons: one, to have a relationship with the Father as co-heirs of Christ; two, for the assignments He has prepared for us. During our journey on earth, we are being conformed and brought up to learn more about our Father in Heaven as we abide in our predestined assignments.
In our assignments, we are not just chosen, but the Lord has also justified us and glorified us. Consider the seven words in Romans that the Holy Spirit uses to describe what God has done for His children. Foreknew! Predestined! Conformed! Firstborn! Called! Justified! Glorified! Consider the meaning of these life-changing words:
1st Foreknew – before we were born, God set us apart with a vision to conform us to the image of his son (Jeremiah 1:5). 2nd Predestined – This is God acting to ensure that what he foreknew would actually happen. 3rd Conformed – this means that we will be formed in the image of Christ for the assignments he has prepared for us. 4th Firstborn – Jesus is the new Adam, the firstborn of those who believe in him by faith. We are brothers and sisters in the family where Christ is the firstborn. 5th Called – As Romans 8:28 says, this refers to those who have been called according to God’s eternal purpose. 6th Justified – In order to be qualified to participate in our calling, our assignment, we must first be justified by the glorious grace of God. 7th Glorified – this is the reality that awaits us when we receive our glorified bodies and are welcomed home into the glory of eternity.
Men, we must understand that we have been called, and that before we were born, God had a role for us to play in His kingdom here on earth. Our hand-picked assignment not only blesses us but also glorifies God the Father. We trust Him with the assignment we have been given. As we pursue our personal assignment and calling, we are at the same time being conformed to the image of Christ. This is how our lives become full!
The beauty of this assignment is that we not only grow in truth in Him, but this, in turn, enables us to handle more and more as we grow. So, how can we know what our assignment is if we feel like we have missed the mark? First, never doubt you’ve been given one. Second, pray for direction in your assignment. And third, step out in faith! We never need to wait on Him when He is actually waiting on us!
Have a blessed week!
Stephen L. Thomas