“It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13
“I am what I am by the grace of God… I worked super hard, but it was actually God working by his grace in and through me.” (pp 1Cor.15:10)
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. (Ps.138:8)
Heavenly Father, it is a total joy to do good works free from any notion of merit or earning, making you happy or fearing your disappointment, to get more crowns or a bigger house in the new heaven and new earth. For the Gospel has put an end to “wages” as the motivation for our obedience. Hallelujah!
Do works matter? 10,000 times YES! Jesus finished a work for us he alone could accomplish (Jn.19:30). You began your “good work” in us and will finish it (Phil. 1:6). Our primary work now is to believe in Jesus who you sent on our behalf. (John 6:29).
Because we are confident you will accomplish “your purpose” for us and because we’re certain of your “steadfast love” (Psalm 138:8)—we want to go on a grace spending spree and spend the rest of our lives living and loving to your glory. What else could we possibly want to do with our time, talent, and treasures?
May our faith increasingly express itself in love (Gal.5:6). May your grace free us to “love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with you” (Micah 6:8). May your joy be our strength and your daily mercies fuel our moment-to-moment acts of kindness.
May we laugh more than we fear (Ps.112:7), overlook more than we keep a record of people’s wrongs (1Cor.13:5), and overflow with so much hope (Rom.15:13) people will be tempted to ask us, “Are you naïve, “tipsy” (Acts 2:13), or in denial?” Hallelujah, thank you, and So Very Amen.
