Ephesians 2:3-10 (NIV)

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Reflection:

This passage describes to us the state that we came from before we knew our Savior – we were deserving of wrath. In full detail of exactly who God is, we are given the incredible truth of how we are no longer trapped or defeated, but made alive in Christ. In no way have we earned this salvation, but it was freely given to us by God’s love and mercy. There is no amount of work that could ever come close to how we have been saved. We are no longer the same! We have been created anew in Christ Jesus. This is the reality of life in Christ.There is no substitute for salvation. We have it real and raw.

Response:

It is easier to be nostalgic about things that were good in the past over those that have been bad. Many of us would rather talk about the positive things that have worked in our lives and forget about what didn’t work. But as people of God, we don’t have to live in the past or be defined by it. Our reality is that we can live in the freedom that we have found in Christ because of the salvation work done by God who loved us greatly for all time. Today, let’s pray and thank our Lord for what He has done for us! Let’s praise God for this very real salvation we have through Christ Jesus that has changed our destiny forever.