Wednesday, June 10, 2009

What Has God Prepared in Advance for Me/Us?

In Ephesians 2:10 Paul writes, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. I was reminded of these words last Friday night, as Vision360 church planters gathered for a time of worship and prayer. One planter, who was bold enough to go first and express what is probably in the hearts of every church planter, asked for prayer regarding his heart ability to celebrate with other pastors on how their church is going. It can be tough not to be competitive. To say the right things from the mouth, but to not speak them genuinely from the heart. At least it is for me. I appreciated this man's honesty and articulation of something I too need prayer for. In particular, the verse above was brought up and the reminder that God has prepared good works in advance for not only me, but our entire church plant collectively. The point is not to dwell on the prepared for in advance good works of other churches, but to ask if I/we are being faithful to the works that God has for me/us? It's been helpful and freeing to think on this. Helps drive out the comparisons. Helps me keep a gospel identity, rather than a works identity.




No comments:

Post a Comment