“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph 2:10 NIV
Again because our God knows everything, He also knows what we will do, where we will be to do it, when we are willing to do it, why will do it, and how we will go about it. And so He has prepared it all in advance. Now this doesn’t mean there won’t be missed opportunities. I can still remember when I had just become born again a missed opportunity that still breaks my heart now, and this was over 20 years ago. My family and I were attending Christian festival, of all things, and we had just finished eating dinner at a restaurant. I got up to pay our bill when I heard a group of three young ladies saying to the manager, “We have spent all the money we brought, but would like to work for our dinner, if that is possible,” to which the manager quickly said, “No, sorry. I can’t do that,” and walked away. Immediately, that still, small Voice within said, “Pay for their dinner.” Too immature to understand his tactics, the enemy began giving me all sorts of reasons why that was impractical and foolish. After struggling for a minute or so, sadly, I listened to the wrong voice and those poor girls left with no dinner that night.
While we should confess our shortcomings to God, He is not trying to make us feel guilty, (Ro 8:1!!!) that’s another one of the other guy’s tactics. But God does want us to learn from any mistakes. He wants us to discern, to tell the difference, between His leading and the enemy’s misleading. Then, hopefully, having more knowledge, we will be more willing the next time we encounter a similar occasion to do the good works. All of this is meant to mature us to be more and more like our very generous God, so that we will cheerfully obey and take advantage of each opportunity to be a blessing.
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
1- Jn 3:16
2- 2Co 5:17
3- Jas 2:26
4- Eph 2:10
<>< Peace, Diane
