ZEALOUS FOR GOOD DEEDS

Scripture: Ephesians 2: 8-10

You may have experienced this before. You read a portion of scripture – and the whole rest of the week God brings further “messages” related to what you read to “bring home” the lesson He wants to impress on your heart. A sermon, a Bible study, a conversation with a friend or co-worker may trigger the thought the Holy Spirit is trying to grab your attention about.

 

That happened to me this week, as I read and pondered especially verse 10 of today’s reading. “for you are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”  It triggered the question, “How is this related to my last week’s Bible study?”  My Thursday women’s group is studying the Fruit of the Spirit – last week’s was on “Goodness.”

A verse that stood out for me was Titus 2:14, “[Christ Jesus] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”

As I looked at these two verses, a phrase from each stood out: God has already prepared good works for me to do, and He has prepared (purified) me to zealously do good deeds.

So if He has the good deeds all ready to go, and He has given me an eagerness to do them, all that needs to happen is to get me connected with those specific deeds He has for me!  One way that helps me identify a specific act as “mine” is to say to God as I am going into a store, a restaurant, or a specific setting where I will have the possibility of interacting with people, “You know who will be here and their need for a good deed.  Remove my blinders of self-absorption in the task I came to do.  Open my eyes to really see people.”

God has given some wonderful opportunities for me to encourage a cashier, to help a fellow customer reach for an item, or to offer to pray for someone.  Seem insignificant?  Not to the person you have acknowledged, nor to our Father, who sees that the good works He has planned are being accomplished one deed at a time!

Thank you, Father, that you created me for good works – even more, that You redeemed me so I might be zealous to do these good works for Your glory. Keep me walking toward my assigned good deeds! Amen.

And it was so!

Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation..." And it was so.  Genesis 1:11

And God said, "Let there be lights...." And it was so. Genesis 1:14-15

Day three and day four of creation are highlighted in these two sections of Genesis. "God said...it was so." These are powerful words and ones we can trust and live by today. When God says it, it will be so. Who do we know that we can depend upon for this type of assurance?

I doubt if any of us has not been disappointed by human behavior. Broken promises and unmet expectations are part of life.  Our parents have failed us just as we have failed our children. We are not perfect and will always fall short. 

How many times in a day are we disenchanted by someone's behavior?  How many celebrities have acted in a manner that left us wondering why we admired them in the first place? How many of our own family or friends have not followed through with admirable conduct. How many times have we disappointed and saddened those we care for?

As much as I would like to think I am beyond that, the fact is, I'm not. Only by the grace and goodness of God am I able to maintain any positive outcomes. Only by God's love and affection am I able to change and become a dependable person. 

Only God is righteous and it is by his love I am redeemed from a life that disappoints and disrupts the good I want to do.

 Genesis 1:11-19

That Family That Redeems Is Faithful It Seems

No, I am not talking about coupons.

Today we read from Ruth 3:2-15. Naomi and her family moved from Bethlehem to the nation of Moab during a drought. While in Moab, Naomi lost her husband and sons to death. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, a Moabite, returned to Bethlehem with Naomi.

Being widows, both Naomi and Ruth were poor. Naomi had her late husband’s land she could sell, but finding a buyer would be difficult. The land could revert to Ruth’s sons if she remarried. However, because Ruth was not an Israelite, the Sanhedrin (Israeli court) might rule her sons are not entitled to the land. Both widows’ long term future appeared bleak.

Naomi had a well-to-do relative, Boaz, who qualified as a “guardian-redeemer.”  A guardian-redeemer was required to redeem, that is, purchase the land, even at the risk of possibly losing it in the future.

Boaz was in a position to help Naomi, but he went far beyond that. He also helped Ruth, by letting her glean and harvest in his fields, by ensuring her safety, by feeding her, by purchasing Naomi’s land and by marrying Ruth. (Ruth proposed to Boaz when she said “Spread the corner of your garment over me.” That was a custom of the time.)

Ruth, the Moabite, loved and trusted Naomi, her mother-in-law. Ruth, who put her safety at risk, had faith in Naomi’s family to help both of them out. Boaz did not disappoint them!

We have a guardian-redeemer greater than Boaz. We are sinners, and left to our own devices, our future is bleaker than Ruth’s and Naomi’s future at first appeared. Our efforts to earn our way to heaven would provide eternal damnation.

God is faithful and keeps his promises. God sent a guardian-redeemer named Jesus Christ. Jesus purchased our souls with his own blood.

What a great blessing that is!