Get To Work

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

One of the often asked questions of believers is this: What is God’s will for my life? What am I supposed to be doing as a believer? This can cover career decisions, but also much smaller choices as well. Some believe that every choice is already determined by the Sovereign God, so whatever we choose is what the LORD has already picked, so it makes little difference. But some say that in God’s sovereignty He has carved out a place for us to make decisions, that our choices are real and we have ownership of those choices.

Now I don’t want to enter into a huge theological discussion in this writing. The LORD has spelled out many things that all believers are supposed to be doing. Holy living is not a mystery, though its application to a particular situation is difficult, taking prayer, searching the Scriptures and consultation with mature believers.

Out text today declares that we are God’s craft project. He gathered materials and made us. And He made us with a purpose. We aren’t just robots programmed to perform certain tasks. Our exercise of authority in the choices we make reflect His character. We are His image-bearers, and part of that image is exercising the authority He has given us as His creatures.

Now that we are connected to Christ because of our trust in Him, we have been included in Him. We are part of something much bigger than we could imagine. We are His Body, working in this world to shine the light of His glory to the world. And we do that by performing good works.

These works show the compassion of Christ for the world and for the individuals who witness them and for whom they are done. They are the practical things of life, not the worlds only. They are the baby sitting for the single mom, the grocery shopping for the elderly shut-in.

The LORD’s heart has always been included for those who can’t survive on their own. He provided sustenance to a widow through the wisdom of a prophet. He raised to life of an only child providing hope and joy. And we are charged with intervening in the corners of our world, in our sphere of influence. We can make a practical difference in other people’s lives for the sake of the Gospel.

These are the works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. Each of us has our own sphere. We touch people in a way that others can’t, so we are charged with doing our share.

During WWII the USA had a metal drive to get enough metal to make all the equipment needed to fight the war. Everyone collected the scrap metal that they had and gave it to the collection points. That scrap metal was turned into planes and ships and tanks and every other type of equipment.

Today we may be asked, or it may just pass in front of us, to intervene in a situation. Our gifts and abilities are resources the LORD has at His disposal. Today He might call some of that inventory to the front customer service counter for dispersal. Are you ready to give on behalf of the Kingdom?