Friday, August 13, 2021

Created For Good Works

Photo by Judy Mattson
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10 KJV)

"God don't make no junk." I heard that phrase a lot a few years ago; but, not so much lately. Indeed, he doesn't. He has created all things with a purpose. He has created all people for a good purpose. That purpose is not to do harm. Yet, here we are doing harm to the people; the world, around us.

Years ago I was in a Bible Study that was studying the ten commandments. One of the women related that she didn't worry about all of the "shall nots." She found that if she just focused on loving the people and world around her she didn't fall into quite so many traps of doing harm to others. If you love your neighbor you will not steal from them. If you love your spouse you will not commit adultery. If you love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind false idols will not be rising up to center stage in your life. We would probably all be better off if we worried a whole lot less about what we can't do and spend that time on focusing on the good that God has created and called us to do.

In Christ we have been freed from the bondage of sin. In Christ we have been set free to love and serve God and one another. In Christ we have been given new hearts; hearts not made of cold stone; hearts that desire to do good; to do no harm. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." (Ezek 36:26)

Let us pray: 

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
                                                                                    (Psalm 51:10-12)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

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