CREATED for Good Works
Listen to what Paul wrote to the early church: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV11)
Created for Good
One of the great things that we all struggle with is the question: why am I here? Why did God create me in the first place? Why did he bring me to this country, this town, this job, this context? Many people drive themselves crazy trying to wrestle with this question.
Well, the Bible claims that we humans were created in God’s image. God imprinted Himself onto His creation! He created us to live lives with His values and ethics in this world. I think God loves to see His children do good things, He created us for that very purpose!!
And Paul says He prepared something in advance for you to do – some sort of passion, or skill or ability was given to you so that you can do good works in His name and shared something of Him with this world!
Purpose in Life
When you wake up in the morning, do you think to yourself: “I am created to do good today!” ? “God woke me to do good things for Him!”?
Jeremiah the great prophet learned this, because God told it to him outright. God appeared to him and said: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV)
What difference might it make in your life if you saw yourself as created for good works? Designed to bring good into the world? Set apart by God before birth even, to do what you can do in this world for Him?
Yet many of us think: I’m just a nobody, doing my small thing here. Don’t think like that! God is deeply interested in what you are doing with your life, and how you are doing it, and the person you are being as you do it. He created you for it!
Doing Good Works
I’m a musician so I like to think in musical terms. I remember once hearing Billy Joel talk about his songs. He said that his songs were like children to him. He would create them, and then look eagerly at how well they did – how they touched people’s lives, how they brought people joy.
I suppose every parent knows how true this is with real kids! You eagerly watch as they grow and start doing good in the world. How much more so, does God look at you and me, His children, His creations, and watch eagerly to see how we do good in the world.
Don’t forget your purpose friends. You are on earth to do good in the name of the God who created you.
