June 6, 2009 Good Works
Today’s Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 1–3; Psalm 45; Ephesians 2
Scripture Focus:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Observation:
I keep coming across this concept when I read the Bible: Christians are created for good works, not for some narcissistic nirvana. We cannot become a Christian by our good works—Ephesians is very clear that “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”—but we are created FOR good works.
Application:
This leaves me with the question. What are good works, and which ones should I be doing? Am I doing any good works? Good questions, indeed.
The parable of the goats and the sheep (Matthew 25: 31–36) has some great examples of good works: “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”
Notice that many of the good works are relational. They involve people. The trick is to figure out what God wants me to do today—and do it.
Prayer:
Father, God, This is a hard one for me. My life is so busy that it’s hard to think of how I could have time to help other people, but that is what you want me to do. Give me a heart that cares for people like you do.
