But God...

⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
     Eph. 2:4-5 NIV

picture by Linda Powell

Ever wondered what actions, disposition, or behavior is necessary for God to save you?  Even though many are familiar with "saved by Grace through Faith and not of works"; it is just very hard to understand how this could be.  An old country gospel song reads "good old boys don't always get to Heaven..."  Paul, the Apostle, submitted to the churches of Galatia that one is saved by Grace through faith and it was not necessary to become a Jew.  As the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul (a Jew himself) never ceased to pray for the Gentiles to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and to experience His Resurrection power.  After that first journey through Asia Minor, Paul faced the other Apostles in Jerusalem to debate his contention of salvation.  Winning that argument became the difference in the foundation and growth of the early church as it's own entity (body of Christ) rather than a sect of Judaism.

So all who have accepted Jesus are saved apart from our works, but not only from our sins, but to a calling decided in advance by God Himself.  We were created in His image by His workmanship and reborn in Christ Jesus to do good works, not to gain our Salvation, but because of our Salvation.

Thus, "But God".  We were spiritually dead and then made alive in Christ. It's Christ in us and us in Christ.  An abiding for which Jesus gave His life to attain.  The next time we are overcome by the circumstances of this world, let us be reminded..."BUT GOD..."

10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

                                                         Eph. 2:10

Father
There is a special feeling...
O so revealing
in the early morn.
The sun so. graciously adorns
a new day
and we grasp the expanse of God's creation.
Ours is a blessed nation.
Ours is a horn’s bounty a plenty. 
Many
owe so much.
The Grace of God
The touch
of mercy surely should extend.
The only true evidence of our thankfulness
is our sharing...
a caring
beyond words.
Left unheard…
many are not encouraged
and without a blessings return…
they die in an immeasurable pool of...only thoughts.
My prayer O God
is that we put feet to the thoughts
and all you have brought
this way…
I convey
in word and deed.
Feed
us O God
and quench the thirst...
First
and foremost for a relationship with You…
and then an extension to…
the least of these…our brethren…
more than a thought.


Amen and Amen.