What I was Made to Do
Ephesians 2:10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We’re created and saved for service to God.
Years ago, our family owned a Border collie. The first time we took her for a group walk, we noticed that she got very concerned when the members of our group didn’t stay together. I didnt stay with my parents, my brother lagged behind and my parents walked with Lady. Poor Lady didn’t know what to do. She nearly ran her legs off trying to check on everyone. We laughed and laughed at her efforts. They seemed terribly foolish from our point of view.
Missy was absolutely committed to her task, though. She persisted in checking on all of us because of who she was. Border collies are bred to herd and guard sheep. They just naturally try to keep them together because a stray sheep will almost certainly become coyote food. Lady didn’t understand why her barks and jumping in front of us didn’t turn us back into the pack.
There are some similarities between Lady and us, particularly when we consider what we are designed to be and do. Before God saves us, we just naturally sin. We’ve been born with a sin nature that desires to please self more than anything. But, after Jesus saves us, He gives us a new nature that desires to please God more than anything. The most natural thing in the world for a saved sinner to do is to obey God. It’s what He made us for.
God will never accept us in His presence because we keep His commandments or do good things for other people. He requires absolutely perfect holiness of anyone who enters into His presence. We can never make it by what we do. But, God made it possible for us to become righteous as we place our faith in Jesus and His death on the cross as the sacrifice for our sin. Once we believe, we do right things as an expression of our gratitude and to show our new character.
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for making it possible for me to have a personal relationship with You. Thank you for Jesus who died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Now that You have saved me and given me a new heart, please help me serve you faithfully and honorably. Help me be what You made me to be. Amen.
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2 comments:
Hey Chad! I like this one alot with the border collie and keeping a herd together and the prayer at the end that was cool. ^_^
It's so amazing to think that even though we sin daily that he still wants us with him. I know if someone turned against me daily I wouldn't welcome them with open arms if they came crawling back. It puts so much into perspective and makes me think that I need to be a little more forgiving and kind to people. Cause that is what jesus would do!! Thanks chad! I'm glad the blog is up and running again!
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