Happy Labor Day!

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:9-10

 

Two facts are clear from this passage. First, works do not save us, for salvation comes from God. Two, we should walk in good works. Because of the first, works lose their power to make us proud; instead, we have the opportunity to participate with God in changing lives. 

Grace gives us freedom to join God and not be afraid to fail. Eternity does not depend on our efforts but God’s sovereignty. He has graciously allowed us to bring Him honor and glory in the safety of eternal love. Not having to buy His love by our actions allows us to freely give ourselves to others.

In the busyness of life, I want to say, “I’ll get to those when life settles down, when school demands less of my time, when the kids are a little older, when the pay check has more digits.” God, however, desires my participation in every season of life. It may look different depending upon whether I am single, newly married, with young kids, with older kids, with an empty nest, or in retirement, but no season of life exempts me from participating with God in the good works He has prepared for me. 

If you are waiting for the right day to begin, sit down with someone you trust and talk through how you can begin walking in those good works today. God has prepared them for you for just this time. Rejoice in that calling.

~ by Michael on September 1, 2008.