For many, when God places a divine burden on our lives, we wonder just how great an impact our one lives can have. We may even feel discouraged from doing anything about our divine burdens because we do not believe we can really make a difference. As we have studied the life of Nehemiah and how he acted on his divine burden to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, we have learned that this line of thinking is entirely untrue. The truth is, each one of our lives matters to God because He can work through us to do remarkable things, like the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls in less than two months through Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem. God can accomplish the remarkable through us when we choose to act on our divine burdens.
The apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2 that God works through us as we set out to have an impact for Christ. This includes as we set out to act on our divine burdens. He wrote in this passage of Scripture, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago" (verse 10). There are so many truths packed in this one verse. First, we are God's "masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus." We were created and transformed by the power of God. Second, we have a purpose: to "do the good things He planned for us long ago." God created us to have an impact for Him, making Him known to everyone around us. This includes the divine burden He has given us. Because He created us and because He planned good things for us to do "long ago," we can be sure that it is His work through us, not our own. As we obey and take steps to act on our divine burdens, he works through us in ways we could have never imagined.
My friend, you are God's masterpiece. He has created you with a purpose and a plan. He will accomplish more through you than you could ever imagine. Your life is significant. Your life matters to Him. Will you commit to living purposefully, intentionally, and obediently, knowing your life is significant and God can accomplish the remarkable through you?
Prayer Prompt: Use this prompt to guide you as you pray.
Memorize Ephesians 2:10 today. Bring it to mind often throughout your day. Commit to living like you believe that your life is significant and matters to God. After all, He can accomplish more through you than you ever thought possible!
1Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Oneness and Peace in Christ
11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
