God created each of us – you and me – as His masterpiece, His workmanship, to do the good works He planned for us long ago. This is what scripture tells us in Ephesians 2:10.
But there’s a catch. It’s only by accepting Jesus as our savior that we become “new” people and have the capability to do these good things that God has planned for us to do. Romans 3:22-25 tells us that we are made right in God’s eyes when we trust in Jesus to take away our sins and our sinful nature. Without the transformation that occurs through the love of Jesus, we will not be able to do what God created us to do. We will not have the ability or the power that God gives us in the form of the Holy Spirit that lives in a believer of Jesus.
It’s the grace of God – our salvation through the death of Jesus is one way He has demonstrated His grace to us – that gives us continual power through the Holy Spirit that enables us to live the kind of life that is pleasing to God and that glorifies Him. Without God’s grace we would not have the ability to make the day-to-day lifestyle choices we make that affect our health. It’s God working in us that enables us to apply our will to make these healthy choices. By nature, we’d want to chose things that our flesh desires which typically would not be as healthy for us. These same unhealthy choices would not be honoring to God and His temple – our body. See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
So, how do we do the good works that God planned for us long ago? How do we know what He wants us to do? How can we become equipped to do these things? The answer is found in scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
It’s only by becoming familiar with God’s principles as laid out in the Bible that we can become equipped to do all the things that He wants us to do. You and I each have a role to play in God’s kingdom. He has given you different gifts and abilities than He has given me. He wants us to use these gifts in a way that makes a difference in this world. God wants us to love on people and He wants us to share His truths with people who don’t know Him.
The healthier we are and the more energy we have the better we’ll be able to do all the things He wants us to do. I would submit that it’s by living according to His guidelines found in scripture that will enable us to be healthier.
If you haven’t become familiar with the Spiritual Exercises I have identified, you may want to read more about them. I have also developed a Spiritual Fitness Assessment that assesses the degree to which your life is in agreement with these Spiritual Exercises and you may find it helpful to spend some time reviewing it.
Believe that God loves you…. because He does. He has, and continues to dempnstrate His grace towards you and He’s given you guidelines to live life by so that you can do all the special things that He planned for you to do so long ago.
Application:
- Believe that God love you… because He really does.
- Receive God’s love and grace.
- Get to know God’s will for you and become better equipped to live life by reading the Bible regurlarly.
