TODAY’S SCRIPTURE Ephesians 2:1-10
The 2011 movie Courageous opens with a captivating sequence. One of the main characters, Nathan, leaves his truck running at a gas station and is standing only a few feet away when a nearby man jumps in and hits the accelerator. Nathan takes off running, reaches out to grab onto the wheel through the open driver’s window, and is carried off by the moving truck. He and the driver fight over control of the vehicle, with Nathan coming perilously close to falling down onto the road. He finally forces the thief to drive into the grass and abandon the vehicle. As Nathan staggers toward the truck, bystanders tell him to stop and rest. After all, it is just a truck. Then, Nathan opens the back door to reveal an infant in a car seat. He is not concerned with the truck but with his child.
Nathan’s actions don’t make much sense until you know his motivation. If someone heard what Jesus did––coming to a sinful earth to suffer torture and death––it would not make much sense unless that person knows the motivation behind those actions. Ephesians 2:1-10 opens a door and reveals God’s love, motivated by mercy. God is concerned for His children, and He sent His Son. Salvation is the greatest gift we can imagine, and it is only available because of God’s grace.
As Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, we were created to do good works. Understanding grace doesn’t cause us to stop working for God; instead, it motivates us to live for Him who redeems us. We are His children, only because of His grace.
Today, I will…think of one area of ministry I have thought about participating in but never have. I will make a specific plan to be involved in this “good work” at least once this year.