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For we are what He has made us, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand to be our way of life.
Eph 2:10
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His
steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 118:1
Next week we begin our descent into the deep
spiritual brooding of Lent. We start with the Ash
Wednesday liturgy and its invitation that reads,
in part, “I invite you, therefore, in the name of
the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by
self-examination and repentance….” And we receive
the ashes that remind us “…that you are dust, and
to dust you shall return.”
If we place our self-examination mindful of the
scripture passages at the top of this page and our
Baptismal Covenant we are faced with the
questions, “Why?” and “How?” “Why did God create
me?” “How do I live in response to that
creation?”
The passage from Ephesians is interpreted to read
“For we are his workmanship…,” in the King James
and New King James versions of the Bible; “We are
God's work of art…,” in the New Jerusalem Bible;
and “For we are God's masterpiece…,” in the New
Living Translation. All of the translations
suggest that God created each of us to be pretty
special. Even more special, He created us in
Christ Jesus to do good work which He has planned.
Wow! From the dust, God created each of us in
Christ Jesus to do good works that he has planned
for us. And He didn’t just create us. He created
us as works of art, masterpieces, each gifted with
just the right abilities, talents, and resources
to do the particular good works He expects of us.
What a fantastic opportunity! What could be better
than to be prepared from birth for special tasks,
particularly God’s special tasks, and then have
the opportunity to carry them out.
In speaking of the program for our coming Lenten
suppers, “Gifts of God for the People of God,” Fr.
Shearer has observed that the gifts with which God
endows each of us are not gifts for ourselves.
Rather, they are gifts to Christ’s church; gifts
to be used in carrying out God’s work,
particularly through His church.
Consider the following as part of your keeping a
Holy Lent. Carefully consider (self-examination)
the abilities, talents, and resources with which
God has blessed you. Think about how you can apply
those gifts to your living out the Baptismal
Covenant (page 304 in the Book of Common Prayer).
Acknowledge to God any areas where you may have
been remiss in utilizing His blessings. Ask His
forgiveness and His help to grow in your ability
to be faithful in using His gifts as He intended
(repentance).
This, incidentally, is stewardship. It is our
using well, in God’s service, the gifts with which
God has blessed us. It is our responsibility, but
it is also a gift to be able to express our
appreciation for God’s continuous bounty in this
way. O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His steadfast love endures forever!
If you have any questions about how you can best
apply the your God-given gifts at Christ Church,
pick up a ministries booklet from the tract rack,
contact the church office, or have a conversation
with any of our clergy. |
