Day 4 - Week 72 - 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."

"Good works"...wonder what that really means?  There are all kinds of good works, aren't there?  What about the good works that non-Christians accomplish...I mean we have to admit that happens, right?

Certainly it does.  There are people who every day do nice, good things who profess no faith in God, and others who profess faith, but not in Jesus Christ as God's Son.  Does their non-faith disqualify their meritorious acts as being labeled as "good"?  No, we can honor non-believers who exhibit kind, compassionate behavior through their acts of generosity and feelings for their fellow humanity as "good people"...they are.

I think the thing to note in this verse is that just as it states that as believers in Jesus we have become "God's workmanship" (objects of His work, His labor), we then are given His work to do. His work is the ultimate good work, and unfortunately, non-believers are not able to participate in His work.  Those tasks are reserved for those who have come to belief and have been recreated through their faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son. 

While there are good people who do good works outside of faith in Jesus, the only ones who can do God's good work are those who have become His workmanship, who bear the mark of His hand on their lives, showing where He has whittled away the things in our lives that keep us from being able to completely follow His directives. 

And what is God's work?  Anything and everything that brings more people to the knowledge of the gospel and it's saving power (Matthew 28:19-20).  Anything and everything that follows the greatest command: to love God above everything else, and secondly to love others more than ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).    If we can analyze our deeds and see that they fall into these categories, we can be assured that we are doing the good works that God has set before us.  These are works that are pleasing to Him, and that bring Him glory.  These are works that the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to as we go through our days.

When your eyes are opened, when your spirit is prompted by His, move.  Do the task that He has set before you.  Your faith will be affirmed - your convictions deepened as you follow in obedience.

Good works or God works?  They can be the same - they can be separate.  I want good, God works to lay before my Father when I arrive at His throne.  The works that He gave me to do and that I didn't miss doing for Him.  I hope I have a few...just so I can bring them to Him with a smile of pleasure on my face in the presentation.  What a wonderful feeling that will be to have something, anything, to offer my King as a very small token of my appreciation of the Gift He has given me....Jesus....and through Jesus, the right to be called His child.

It makes me start to think differently of how I am spending the very precious gift of time...while it is today, I have time to work for Him!

Day 3 - Week 72 - 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."

Have you ever wondered about the theology of predestination?  There are those who believe, due to certain Scripture references, that we are, individually, predetermined to eternal destinations of either heaven or hell.  Personally, I adamantly do not believe in predestination of our eternal souls...to me, that theology eliminates the whole message of the Gospel --- that God's love for us prompted His action to make a way for us to enter into a state of salvation, through our choice of acceptance of His gift of love.  I believe the predestination that is often mentioned in the Bible references the plan of God that He had before any of us ever came into being...before we were, He predestined that we would have a choice to obey or rebel.  He predestined that He would provide a choice for us to make, and He predestined that His Son would pay the price for our sins.

This week's verse contains another aspect of predestination that I accept: God's predestination of opportunities for each of us in our lives to accomplish good on His behalf.  I believe that every one who comes into relationship with God through Christ Jesus, becomes a new creation, (2 Corinthians 5:17) separate and apart from the mortal creature of our earthly birth.  We become a new work of extreme value, because we are now God's hands and feet on this earth.  We are now capable of joining with Him in His work here, moving at His prompting, to do the big, and the small, things that He needs done in peoples' lives.  Things that we are uniquely positioned and equipped to be able to accomplish for Him. 

Does that excite you?  I hope it does! 

Does it make you look at your life a little differently...with a little more uncertainty?  I hope it does!

Just as James reminds us that our plans are certainly not set in stone (James 4:13-15), we need to realize that our Christian lives should be easily adapted to God's directives. 

God is ready to give us the most interesting and exciting lives we can imagine (well actually, we can't imagine!)...allowing us to participate with Him in His eternal plans.  Can you get any bigger than that?  Whatever you have planned for your life, I daresay, it can't compare! 

Give it up...give it all to God...He will show you wonderful things!  Join the Psalmist in this prayer of requisition to our Father to see His work, to join with Him, and to achieve success in our accomplishment of it...

Show your servants the wonderful things you do; show your greatness to their children.   Lord our God, treat us well. Give us success in what we do; yes, give us success in what we do.

Psalm 90:16-17