Read: Ephesians 2: 8-10

For 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Reflect:

There is a tendency to reduce Christianity to a do/don’t list. Do this and never, ever do that, but that is not the idea presented by Christ. We can never do or be enough on our own. The verses above remind us that God’s grace is enough for each of us and because of God’s grace we are able to walk in good works daily.

It may seem a little late for a resolution, but here’s one that Jonathan Edwards, an 18th-century preacher, made for his life daily.

“Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many, and how great soever.”

Respond:

Edwards echoes the “law of Christ” in that his first action was to live a life pleasing to God and then to do what is best on behalf of others. In short, he was determined to love God and love others no matter the cost.

Take a moment to read and consider Edwards’ quote a couple of times. Is it an idea worth considering three hundred years later?