Stop what you’re doing. Take 10 minutes to breathe in Ephesians 2:10. Consider it a personal flash mob devotional moment. There is some Wow to be had in this verse.
First the whole verse, then we’ll step into it phrase-by-phrase.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
—Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
1. Digging In (God, Show Me!)
FOR
So we’ll start with just one word. One three-letter word. We need to back up a couple verses to see what the “for” is for. It will give more insight into this verse and it might be the best news you’ve heard all day. You could look it up, but we’ll save you a step. Here it is:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Let that soak in for a few seconds and then reread Ephesians 2:10 in light of verses 8-9.
WE ARE GOD’S HANDIWORK,
Dwell on each word for a few moments. As you think about each word, jot down a thought or two as to why that word could be the most important word in this phrase.
CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD WORKS,
How does this help you answer questions like: “Why am I here?” or “What does God want me to do?”
WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE
In advance. How does it encourage your heart to know that God prepared things for you before you got here?
FOR US TO DO.
This phrase does have one stand-out important word: do. It’s where everything in this verse is heading.
2. Taking It Inward (God, Teach Me!)
Now, take a few moments to let the truth of Ephesians 2:10 seep into your heart. Sit in silence while your mind rolls that passage around a bit. Jot down anything that makes you go, “wow.”
3. Seal the Deal (God, Change Me!)
Finally, what does your “wow” make you want to do? Here are some general ideas. Feel free to add specifics. And then, of course, do the specifics.
Express
Create
Thank
Pray
Love
Sing
Write