Photo on Unsplash by Calle Macarone
Dear Friends and Family,
When we travel, we might think we’re in charge. But are we? We can’t make reservations without computers and phones. Pilots fly the planes. Handlers make sure our bags arrive with us. Or – the GPS better guide us on the correct route. We need to trust many others to have a good vacation.
Our Christian journey to the Kingdom of Heaven is another kind of trip. But, unlike a vacation, where we might control some parts of the journey, there’s absolutely nothing we can do to get ourselves to this destination. We only get there by trusting God and His promises.
John 3:16, “The Gospel in a Nutshell,” says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Who loved? God. Whom did He love? The World. How did He love? Through His only Son. Who did all the work? God. All we do is trust and believe in Him who did this work and we’ll be saved from death and receive eternal life.
Paul writes, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Grace – a gift from God. We can’t buy it or exchange for it. He does all the work to save us. All we do is accept His gift in faith.
Once saved by God’s grace, we’re free to live as He created us to live. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) God has done all the work to save us so we can be His hands and feet as He continues to save others through us. As we journey together toward eternity, let us love others as God has already loved us by bringing His gospel to all in need through our words and deeds.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim