Verse for today – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10).”

When I was young, I was fascinated with tadpoles. One day, out on the farm, I noticed some tadpoles swimming in a muddy hole near the pond. The next day I saw legs developing back near their tails; that is when it started. I had to know what was going on. With Dad’s permission, and the use of an old outbuilding, I constructed “the frog house.” Inside this deteriorating wooden structure, I built a fenced in home for tadpoles/frogs complete with a homemade swimming pond with grass growing on the shoreline. By the way, the grass grew poorly due to a lack of sunshine; but the tadpoles were great. They progressed rapidly and soon I had 10 to 20 little baby frogs hopping around inside my masterpiece. At my young age I was immensely proud of my work. It was my blood, sweat, and tears, and yes there was a little of each involved in my project.

Dear Reader, YOU are God’s masterpiece. If you have become a Christian, you are “doubly” His own. He created you in the first place, He died to pay for your sins, and, Christian, He gave you a new heart. The Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17).” You are God’s workmanship!

In the previous two verses Paul declared that no one will boast about his or her salvation in heaven. Here again is the reason—we are the result of God’s blood, sweat, and tears. No Christian is a “self-made man” or a “self-made woman.” We are God-made men and God-made women. We do not earn our way to heaven through good works. Salvation is a free gift based on God’s “good works!” However, there is a sweet topping God wants to put on His masterpiece.

Even though you and I do not earn the tiniest piece of our salvation, we are created FOR GOOD WORKS! Did you notice that final wording in today’s verse? “… created in Christ Jesus FOR good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” IF you are following Jesus there are many wonderful things He is calling you to do. Much of the rest of the book of Ephesians will help you to understand this “calling.” For today let me leave you with one preview from Ephesians 5. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God… (Eph. 5:1-2).” There you are—your good works begin with imitating your Creator and living a life of love. Many more beautiful details to come…