Many people go through life in search of direction or meaning. They wonder what town they should live in, what school they should attend, what career path they should take, who they should spend their lives with and what all of that means in the big picture. Many reach a point where they think they have all of it figured out only to have life hit them with something that brings all the questions back. Why are we here? What were we created to do? God offers us an answer through the writings of Paul.

 

In Ephesians 2 we read, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We can learn a lot from those 22 words.

 

First, God views us as his handiwork. For any of us who have made anything, we understand that is a big deal. On my desk is a wood bowl handcrafted by a woodworker from the church in Eugene and a clay pot handcrafted in elementary school by one of my boys. Both took talent and creativity to make, and both of their craftsmen were proud of the finished results. Second, we see that God designed us to do good works. That’s the reason we feel great when we help others. It’s the reason that we feel a sense of fulfillment in a job well done.

 

Third, we see that He also prepared works for us. As we seek out those good works, let’s be confident that God has something in mind for each of us to do and that He loves to see us find and do good works. It’s what He made us to do. This is another of those times that our lessons from Sunday morning and Sunday evening converge. In Luke 9 we find Jesus giving the apostles a task as He continues to teach them, then a larger group of disciples is sent out in Luke 10 to spread the good news. On Sunday evening last week and again this week, we are talking about the will of God. As we see in Ephesians 2, part of His will is for each of us to do good works. Let’s always seek out the good works He has prepared for us.

 

– Brian

 

 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2