What Will Your Next Step Be?

Ephesians 2:1-10

 

 

Have you ever felt like God was calling you to do something?

 

There are numerous stories of people in the Bible who were called by God to action. Abram was called to go into a land he had never seen. Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt even though he was an escaped criminal. Gideon, while hiding in a wine press, was called a Mighty Warrior to lead the Israelites against the Midianites.

 

One of my favorite stories is Isaiah being called by God in the temple. It was filled with smoke and the foundations shook from the voice of the seraphim as they called out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” When Isaiah

sees the holiness of God he also sees his own sin and repents. It was only then that he responded, “Here am I Lord. Send me.”

 

Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “All of us also lived among them (the disobedient) at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

 

Like Isaiah, Paul recognized his sinfulness and that only God’s mercy and grace could save him. But to what end? Paul wrote, ^“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Like Isaiah, Paul responded to God’s saving grace by saying, “Here am I. Send me.”

 

As believers, we are called to ministry. “You are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do.” He has brought people and experiences into your life that make you uniquely gifted to share his love and the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.

 

Like the stories in the Bible, we have been called to step outside of our comfort zone and go into a land we have never seen. We have been called to do things that we may not feel qualified to do. We have been called as a Mighty Warrior to battle even when we feel powerless and afraid.

 

God has gifted you, prepared you and brought you to where you are today. Now it is time for you to take the next step. What will it be?

 

 

"Hello. My Name is Joe."

Psalm 139:13-24

 

After introductions, what do you say next? How do you answer the question, “Who are you”? Is it in terms of your job, your school or maybe your church? Do your children, your spouse or your parents define who you are?

 

 

For some it is something they have done, possibly an addiction. When introducing yourself at a meeting you give your name and say, “I am an addict”. What is it that defines you; that goes to the core of your being; that is the bottom line of how you truly feel about yourself?

 

In his prayer, David wrote the following about how he defined himself:

 

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.”

 

He understands that although he had biological parents, God was his true creator. In polite conversation, we tend to not disclose our inner being. But God created our inner being, and not only did He create it, it is “fearfully and wonderfully made”. That means that there is nothing to be ashamed about who we are.

 

The definitions of guilt and shame are very similar, but significantly different. Guilt means that we feel bad about what we did. Shame means that we feel bad about who we are. God is saying through David that we need not feel ashamed of who we are, because God created us.

 

Finally, Paul wrote this about who we are:

 

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”         Ephesians 2:10

 

God has created you for a unique purpose to use the gifts and abilities that He has given you through His grace. God is the potter, and you are His clay. He defines who you are. He has prepared good works for you to do.

 

“Hello. My name is Joe. I’m a creation of God and a follower of Christ Jesus”. Who do you believe you are?