A BEAUTIFUL MESS

I heard an illustration in a Bible study for mothers, when Garrett was a baby, that described our participation in God's work and will here on Earth.

She said God allowing us to work for Him is like us allowing our children to help us with dinner.

They climb up on the stool to help tear apart the lettuce for the salad.  That's all they really can do because they can't use a knife yet.  They get it all over the counter and the floor.  It takes twice as long as if we did it ourselves and then we have the additional time it takes to clean up the mess.  They didn't do half as good of a job as we would have, and we just hope when they sneezed it didn't get in the salad.

So why would we bother?

It builds our relationship with them.  We get to spend quality time with them.  We get to teach them life skills and relational skills.  It also builds character, confidence and esteem when they contribute and see the results of their hard work.

And then they want to do it again tomorrow!

Ephesians 2:10 says God has prepared, in advance, good works for us.

Why?  Because He needs our help?  Because we have so much to offer He couldn't do it without us?

The answer to almost every human question is: (are you ready?) So we can be changed into the image of Christ, and God can be glorified.

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Phil.2:13)

Even the work we do is God doing it in us!

In John 15:5 and 8, Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;  for without Me you can do nothing...By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit."

I love that in the original language it is: "without Me...nothing."

When the world sees ordinary people do extraordinary things (fruit), they see God.  He is glorified, and we are humbled knowing it wasn't us, but His work in us.

He could have done it instantaneously and perfectly.  Instead, He chose to be with us, in us, and grow us in the process.

Believe it our not, He likes getting His hands dirty in our humanity.  Just to be with us.

He is Immanuel: "God with us."

MEDITATE ON IT

Do you see the good things you do as a way to earn God's love, or as an opportunity to let God work in you and be with Him?

If you started every day asking for and anticipating the good works God has for you in that day, how would your day be different?  Do you do this?

Does God love you less when you don't do good works?  Do you really believe that?

PRAY ABOUT IT

Father, Your love is so ridiculous and abundant towards us!  Oh, how we allow Satan to rob us of reveling in it!  Forgive us that we deny the love You have for us.  Open our understanding and increase our knowledge of who You are, for this is how we bear fruit.  Thank you for letting us participate in Your will here on Earth.  Draw us to You and remind us to seek these works You have prepared for us already.  Help us see the extravagant extent You go to just to have a relationship with us.  You are an awesome God!

LIVE IN IT

"Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?  Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it?  As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!" (Isaiah 10:15)

"For we are [God's] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

"As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me." (John 15:4)