Verse from Ephesians

我们原是神所作成的，是在基督耶稣里创造的，为的是要我们行各样的善事，就是神预先所安排的。(以弗所书 2:10)

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)

For 3 weeks every fall season, the city the author lives in becomes an art gallery. Nearly 2,000 artists from around the world display their creations in galleries, museums, hotels, parks, city streets, parking lots, restaurants, churches, and even in the river.

The winning entry in 2011 was a 9 x 13-foot stained-glass mosaic of the crucifixion by artist Mia Tavonatti. While viewing the artwork, the author heard the artist discuss how many times she had cut herself while shaping the pieces of glass for her mosaic.

As the author gazed at the beautiful rendition of what was a horrific event, the author saw more than a representation of the crucifixion—the author saw a picture of the church, the body of Christ. In each piece of glass the author saw an individual believer, beautifully shaped by Christ to fit together into the whole (Eph. 2:16,21). In the artist’s story, the author recognized the shedding of Jesus’ blood so that this unity could take place. And in the finished artwork, the author saw the act of love required to complete the project despite pain and sacrifice.

We who believe in Christ are a work of art created by God to show the greatness of a Savior who makes something beautiful out of the broken pieces of our lives.

Christ gave everything to make something beautiful of His church.