by 
Pastor, Oracle Church of Christ
Special to the Crier
Ephesians 2.10 says that we are God’s workmanship. The word translatedworkmanshipis the Greek wordpoieema. Our English wordpoemis just an anglicized form ofpoieema. We are God’s poem, a work of art.
When you create a work of art you don’t just dash it off; you come back to it and keep erasing and re-doing it until you get it just right. And that’s what God does with us, because he loves us and wants to get us just right.
Of course, the constant re-doing hurts. Sometimes we say, “Enough, already; can’t you just leave me alone?” But God, the artist, is hurting us with love. He knows pain is necessary if there is to be improvement, and so the rubbing out and re-doing will continue until the project is as nearly perfect as he can make it. That explains Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness. It also explains some of the rough patches in our individual lives.
If the rough patches in your life are too many and too close together, God can help.
We’re the Church of Christ, meeting in that little white building across from Mountain Vista School in Oracle: 2425 El Paseo.
Visit us Sundays for Bible study at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m.
Fred Patterson lives in Oracle with his wife, Shelia, and does the preaching at the Oracle Church of Christ, 2425 El Paseo. He came to Oracle six years ago after retiring from Mesa Community College where he taught reading and study skills. Fred was born near Pittsburg, PA attending schools in Castle Shannon, Gibsonia and Mars, PA. He graduated from Clarion State Teachers College with a B S in Education, later obtaining a MA in education from ASU. Fred is married, with 4 children, 11 grandchildren and 3 great grand children with two on the way. He enjoys reciprocal visits with the family, working around the house, working out daily at Waldo’s gym and helping out at the Oracle Community Center--usually with a hammer, paintbrush, dishcloth or his tractor.
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