For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
Last year, in my Blog, I posed the question “Who am I”, and concluded I was a redeemed image of Jesus. As I write today, a few weeks ago my father passed away. As you will see from Eulogy to him in last month’s blog, I am unsure what his faith was when he died. This has led me to ask of myself, “Did I reflect the Image of Jesus well enough, did I fulfil my created purpose?”
Well, that is a very poor question that I asked of myself, very negative and self-pitying; definitely feeling sorry for myself. What I should have remembered is that as a redeemed image of Jesus, I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ to do “good works”. Not only that but these “good works” have been prepared in advance for me to do by none other than the God of the Universe, the Almighty, Sovereign, everlasting Lord and King of Kings! It is not up to me to decide what “good works” I am going to do; I don’t have to find these “good works”; nor do I have to worry about whether I can do these “good works”. God foreknew and predestined me (Romans 8:29) and chose me in Christ from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). God knew who I was going to be, knew that I would belong to Christ and so prepared these “good works” in advance for me to do! So how can I fail in these “good works”, how can I fail in my created purpose?
It was He [Jesus]who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service,…..
Ephesians 4:11-12
Just because I did not evangelise my Father as I thought I should, and I did not bring him to salvation as a mighty warrior of God, does not mean I failed. We are all created by God for a purpose, some to be apostles, some to be evangelists etc. Only some are chosen for each purpose, but we are all created to do “good works”. Our job is to seek God’s face (Psalm 27:8), to worship Him and to listen out for the jobs He has for us. And we can be sure in the knowledge that however weak we are, we can rely on Him for the strength and ability to do these “good works” (Philippians 4:13)
So, why am I here? I am here to do “good works”, created in advance by my Heavenly Father. As a redeemed image of Jesus, an instrument of God’s workmanship, I am created to do “good works”, as God directs, and to do them in God’s strength, not mine.
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21
