From Boasting to Hoping // Ephesians 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) | For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.

I sure am glad God didn’t save me based on things I can boast about. Now don’t get me wrong, I know I have gifts and long to use them to the best of my ability. God blesses everyone who believes in Him with special, spiritual gifts to help make Him known. The problem when we think we can save ourselves comes when we realize there is always someone who will be better; whether that’s at a certain point in time or in general. Thinking our salvation comes in such a way will likely lead to discouragement when we realize we aren’t on top of the world. This leads us to comparing ourselves against others and competing with them, too. This, my friends, is not at the heart of God’s saving work. Why? Because other people are not the standards by which we are saved, only Jesus, and Jesus is perfect; therefore, any attempt to compete or compare with Christ will leave us lacking. This is why we have no room to boast, but plenty of room to hope. God made you, loves you, longs to save you, and has a purpose for your redeemed and restored life. This is God’s gift for you, not based on who you are or someone else is, but solely based on the nature of the Lord. Then, He wants to deploy you into places only you can go, to do things that only you can so do, say things that only you can say, and reflect God’s love in ways only you can reflect. Thank the Lord this is based on Him and not you and me, right? So I want to close today with Ephesians 2:10 which states this in a way only God can through the Good Book: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Let’s go be that masterful handiwork only we can be when we live into the unique and powerful design dreamed and implemented by our Good God Almighty!