Theme of the Week: Grace
Bible Verse: And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:6-10 NIV
Scripture Reading: John 3:16
Most men have a deep work ethic. We want to work hard, earn what we get, and be satisfied by a good day’s work. For many, this kind of work ethic is a matter of integrity.
As we read yesterday, we are ambassadors of Christ here on earth. We are representing him and his kingdom to come.
If that is the case, our work ethic and integrity are critical elements to representing Christ well.
Since one of the most significant critiques of Christians is hypocrisy, a strong work ethic and integrity go a long way to combat that notion.
One of the downsides of a strong work ethic is the feeling that everything must be earned. If you don’t kill it and drag it in, you don’t eat.
However, the invitation from Christ is a free gift that we need to receive humbly. No strings attached.
That’s difficult for many to wrap their heads around.
That is the whole point; we can’t do it ourselves. We needed a savior. If our works could have saved us, we wouldn’t need Jesus.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for the free gift of salvation. Thank you for your grace that has saved me. Please help me to accept this gift.
Reflection: Take a moment today to sit quietly (another challenging practice) and meditate on this idea: I am saved through faith, not by my works. I am God’s handiwork, he has created me to do good work, but I am saved not because of my good work.
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