Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
April 14, 2023
Ephesians 2:1-10
1 At one time, you were like a dead person because of the things you did wrong and your offenses against God. 2 You used to live like people of this world. You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power. This is the spirit of disobedience to God’s will that is now at work in persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience. 3 At one time, you were like those persons. All of you used to do whatever felt good, and whatever you thought you wanted so that you were children headed for punishment just like everyone else. 4 - 5 However, God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by God’s grace! 6 And God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus. 7 God did this to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus. 8 You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. 9 It’s not something you did that you can be proud of. 10 Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.
Good Morning; Take time to say, Thank you, God!
God’s grace! Everything we are and everything we do is wrapped in God’s grace. Without God’s grace, we would simply cease to be. We would live our lives doing whatever we found interesting, and then we would die and be gone. End of story.
When God sent Jesus to walk with us and talk with us, it began a new way. I have had times when an unknown person entered the “picture,” and I felt this calming assurance that things would be different. For example, the feeling that the new boss will be a kinder, gentler leader. I remember one time when I had a challenging principal, but I managed to do what I must so that my students' needs were met even when I was being treated poorly. I didn’t realize how burdened I felt until this new principal arrived. Suddenly, I felt empowered because a great weight was lifted from my shoulders.
Jesus was sent to remove our burdens and teach us a new way: a way of peace, mercy, joy, love, hope . . . This was radical teaching among the influential leaders who reigned with oppression as the rule of the day. The life and death of Jesus seemed destined to be like so many before him, but that was not God’s plan. The death and resurrection of Jesus forever changed the world because those who believe are no longer controlled by death. Jesus defeated death, and the world was never the same.
God gave us free will, so we have a choice to make. We can give our lives to Christ and accept the gift of salvation and eternal life, or we can walk away and face death. Of course, we might need to reconsider what is important to us. Do we seek earthly treasures or work to build treasures in heaven? The gift is freely given, but we must claim it. Our response to the gift is to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into the ones God created within us. The choice seems so obvious, but it is easy to be distracted by the power of earthly ways.
Blessed God, We thank you for Your blessings. You give us the choice of blessings and life or curses and death. Help us! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: I will open my heart to discover what God has in store for me.
Claim your gift today! Pastor Liz
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