DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Look What He Has Done!
by Elaine Pierce
Today is the day we've been planning for, praying for, and expecting for months and months, Reveal Sunday. Two Sundays ago we all made our faith commitment pledges. Today we will reveal what the Lord has provided. I am writing this several weeks before this post will is to be published. I, like you, am excited to see what God is doing, and how together we are building an oasis for a dry and thirsty world.
We've spent a lot of time in the book of Ephesians during the Together campaign. Today we're looking at our life before we knew Jesus (see v. 1-3) and after. In our life before Christ, we 'followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.' What changed when we met Jesus? Did we try harder to be good? Did we say, OK, Jesus, thank you for your death on the cross - I'll take it from here?
Oh, no, oh no. Look at what Paul tells us:
Because of his great love for us.....it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves. It is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. (v.5 and 8).
I like this quote from C. S. Lewis: "Jesus didn't come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive." It's not about living a good life, although living a good life is not a bad thing. But it's not the main thing. Jesus came that 'he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus (v. 7).'
So, today, as we celebrate - and celebrate we will - let's remember that all we have, all we do, comes from God. Let's keep the focus on him, his grace, his kindness, his mercy. He has good works for us right here in Columbus, in Ohio, and around the world. He wants to use us to bring glory to his name. Thanks be to God!
PRAYER PRACTICE
Lord, thank you for the gifts you give us. You are rich in mercy, slow to anger, abounding in kindness. We give you all the glory and all the praise for what you are doing and will do in our lives, in our church, and in our world. May your kingdom come, you will be done. Amen.
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