Ephesians 2:8-10—It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Read todays devotion, The Gift of Work, from Meditations on Favorite Scriptures a daily devotional that focuses on the gospel promises of Jesus Christ. This is a well-known passage, one of the foundation passages on which the teaching of salvation by grace stands. It teaches us that we have been saved because God poured out his undeserved kindness on us. Not only has his grace accomplished our salvation, but it also brought our faith into being. Faith is the hand that receives his salvation. Salvation is through faith, worked by a gracious God and not by us; this is the bedrock of our salvation. Paul, however, says still more. He says to us, “Look at yourself. Do you see what you are? You have been created by God. Just like a craftsman might fashion a beautiful clay pot or a woodworker might fashion an ornately carved box, God, the spiritual craftsman, has fashioned you into something new. He has joined you with Christ and has made you into a person who has dedicated his or her life to God’s service.” Yes, you would like to serve the Lord better. Every Christian does, and Paul will encourage us to do that later in his letter to the Ephesians. But for now forget your weaknesses and what you have not done, and think about what you are doing. Think about the ways you are serving your Lord. Don’t become proud, but I’m sure you can think of many acts of service—how you serve God at your job, at home with your children, at church, and in your devotional life. What Paul tells us is that we were “created in Christ Jesus” to do these things. We were chosen to be changed people, people who no longer seek our own glory and pleasure but who seek God’s glory and the work of the kingdom. God chose you to come to faith. But he also chose you to do good works. Don’t just look at your shortcomings. Look at what the Lord has given you the power to do, and thank him for it. Prayer: Keep us focused, Lord, on your grace. We work because you first worked for us and in us. Amen. From Meditations on Favorite Scriptures: Devotions for a Year, Edited by Curtis A. Jahn © 2007 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. #dailydevotional
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 01:00:01 +0000
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