‘Which God Prepared Beforehand’

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

As we continue to consider the purpose of works in the lives of those of us who are ‘in Christ,’ we come again to this text to consider the portion that tells us of good works, ‘which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.’  While we may understand this in the broad sense, that is, that in His eternal counsels, God determined and ordained what would define ‘good works,’ and even that His redeemed would walk in those works as defined, we might also consider this in the more narrow and personal sense.  We are well aware that God has made each of us different and given to each of us particular talents, gifts, and abilities.  These are to the purpose that we should show Christ to those who are around us.  These are gifts we use to glorify God by doing good to others.  Paul, speaks of this elsewhere when he says, ‘and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.’  God ordained ‘beforehand’ that we, as individuals might walk in these good works to minister to others, thereby showing them the love of Christ.  In the broad sense, and in the narrow sense, God has ‘prepared beforehand’ for us to reflect our being ‘in Christ’ by doing good to those around us according to our abilities.

Our Gracious, All-wise God,
we rejoice that You have made
preparation for our lives in every detail.
We praise you, that You have granted unto us particular gifts
whereby we may do good to glorify You.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning