Ephesians 2:8-10 (CEB)

You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. It’s not something you did that you can be proud of. 10 Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.


Reflection

Many of us look to the night sky glowing with the Milky Way, or the dazzling colors of a sunset as examples of God’s divine workmanship. We may look at a newborn as an amazing creation, yet why don’t we look at ourselves as God’s divine and beloved “accomplishment?”

In this translation, the word used is “accomplishment” which comes from the Greek word, poiema, meaning “that which was made, work, creation or workmanship” and is the word from which our words ‘poem’ and ‘poetry’ derive.  The writer is saying we are to view ourselves as God’s creation in Christ Jesus. We are saved by grace through God’s gift of salvation, not through any effort of our own. We are made new in Christ Jesus to do the good works that God planned for us to do. This is how we are to live our lives in Christ. Who you are in Christ, and the good things that you do, because you follow Jesus, matters.

Lately it feels late nothing we do seems to matter. Every day feels like a struggle, and we get discouraged. But this scripture is so life giving to us because it tells us, “you matter.” God’s grace seeks us out, forgives our sins through Jesus, and has created us anew to grow in grace to be the people God created us to be. We were created by God to be the difference in the world by being and showing the transforming love of God to others. The way we live our lives as children of God matters, because we are part of God’s loving and redemptive plan for the world.

by Jeneene Reduker


For Pondering & Prayer

The next time you feel discouraged or think the good things you do by following Jesus don’t matter, be encouraged! Remember that God loves you. We were redeemed by God’s love and created anew in Christ. Just as salvation comes from God, so does the ability to do good works. God journeys with us as we follow Jesus and share God’s love with others. The good works that we do through Jesus are part of God’s plan for our lives to grow in the Spirit and God will equip us to do this work through God’s transforming power.

Pause and think about how much God loves you. You are God’s accomplishment and God has planned good works to be the way you live your life. What good works do you feel God is calling you to do good in your daily life? Is God calling you to do good works with others in a small group, church ministry or mission project?

Prayer: Holy and Loving God, we have been created anew in Jesus to do good works and to be and show your love in the world. Help us to be encouraged by remembering we’re not in this alone, because you walk this journey with us. Amen.