The New Life in Christ
ICS Daily Devotions

Ephesians 2:10 (Amp) For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art] created in Christ Jesus, [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

Before receiving Christ, we were slaves to sin and the world’s dictation. We had different values, principles, identities, and priorities, and lived very self-centred lives. We used our wisdom and strength to strive for significance, validation, and acceptance by men through our achievements. We were driven by success, self-actualisation, and self-glorification. The success of our position, influence, assets, and money defined us.

However, seeking money, achievements, and positions can be meaningless because things on earth can never satisfy the void in our hearts. Somehow, we know that there is a God and the impending judgement after death. Therefore, we may attempt to use religious practices to soothe our conscience and obtain peace by doing good works and trying to buy favour from the gods or the spirits we worship. Eventually, some may call for a time-out when they are disillusioned by the pursuit of success, the endless work, and the need to deal with company politics and the survival of the fittest. We must realise that riches are temporal, and when we think we have achieved everything ourselves, we have become slaves to riches.

However, after we are saved, we have a different perspective regarding success and a different definition of our identity from that of the world. We have peace with God, and the peace of God rules in our hearts because our lives have been restored with Him. We now live a purposeful and intentional life for the Lord, a cause greater than ourselves, because we know that we have been created for a higher purpose than merely existing for ourselves, and life on earth is temporal. We understand that we are stewards of God’s blessings, which have been given to us to bless others. God has honoured His covenant with us and granted us the power to create wealth, and we want to be that channel to bless others through good works.

Psalm 139:14 (NKJV) I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

We know that each of us is a masterpiece uniquely created by God. When we understand that we all have unique gifts and talents, and are made for specific callings and purposes, we won’t strive to emulate others or try to measure up to them to prove our worth. When we embrace this truth, we will excel as we walk in our callings after diligently seeking His face.

Sermon Series: Growing our Faith in God