This week’s devotions are based on Week 3 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
Proclaiming grace is an amazing privilege. Every sermon I preach, I pray God’s grace is evident and obvious. If someone only listens to one message and it happens to be one I gave, I pray God’s Spirit can use it to bring the spiritually dead to life.
That being said, after many sermons, especially the first half of my ministry (I’m a slow learner), my wife would often ask at Sunday lunch, “So what? Jesus died for me. So what?”
Since then, in the back of my mind as I give a message, I keep the “so what” factor in mind.
Why? Not just because my wife encouraged it, but because the Scripture encourages it:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God saved us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for a purpose. He didn’t just save us FROM the consequence of our sin, he saved us FOR a divine purpose.
The cross of Jesus is not just a fact to believe, but a reality to live.
Why?
Because one who is alive, does alive things. God made us alive, even when we were dead in sins, to live for his purposes. He is the one that orchestrated our salvation to carry out the works he has prepared in advance for us to do.
So what does that mean? (A good Lutheran question…)
Through and through we are God’s workmanship. We ought never underestimate both the work God has done in our hearts to bring the dead to life and change our focus from serving self to serving the Spirit of God. It’s a work only God can do. He also has worked in us to develop a personality and skills, interests and abilities in order to use those to glorify him and be a blessing to others. He also is setting up opportunities around you for you to put the life he has given you into practice.
What might that look like for you today?
Are you headed to work? Perhaps the good work God is preparing for you is taking time to care for a fellow employee with a listening ear or a helping hand.
Are you at home today? Maybe God will put a friend or relative on your mind that needs a phone call, email or text to encourage them or just let them know they are being thought of.
Are you paying bills today? Maybe God is setting up an opportunity to realize again all the blessings he has given and express gratitude to him for it, while seeking opportunities to better steward and give he wealth he has given.
Are you playing sports today? Maybe God is setting up an opportunity to express good sportsmanship in the heat of competition where it would be easy for a harmful reaction to come out.
Are you alive today? Good! Perhaps it’s just asking the question, “God what are the good works you have prepared for me to do today? With this attitude, you will find yourself doing whatever is on your list today with a heart of peace, joy and gratitude, because you know God has organized this day for you to express your heart of faith. He is giving you opportunities to put into practice the work he has began in you and will carry on to completion.
He has given you a reason to live for him today!
1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Apply: Note at the end of the day all the opportunities that God has given you to put your faith into action. Pray for opportunities each day to live out the life God has given to you to his glory and to be a blessing to the people around you.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for orchestrating my salvation, but also my life to be lived to your glory. Forgive me for the many times I have missed the good works you have prepared. Open my eyes to see all the opportunities you give me today to glorify you. AMEN.