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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD
Encountering an extraordinary God in ordinary life
Issue # 284 October 7, 2001
The Ditch
Back when I was a child, we lived on an island in a river delta. Since the island was mostly made up of silt washed down over the years, it was subject to frequent flooding.
To alleviate the flooding problem, the whole island was crossed with a series of drainage ditches. The ditches almost always had water in them.
A ditch full of water is a powerful temptation for a child. There was always a bridge or roadway of some kind located at convenient intervals along the ditches, but something made it just to tempting to not at least try and jump.
More than once, I remember trying to jump across it and failing. Then I’d be at home telling my mother I had no idea how I got so wet. Somehow, I don’t think she was fooled.
We fall into that same sort of temptation when we walk as Christians. Christ has already bridged the gap between our sinfulness and the Father.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
We often get confused and think God doesn’t love us if we don’t work hard enough at it. We want to jump the ditch ourselves, rather than trusting the bridge He built for us at great cost.
There are things we are called to do, including live a holy life. In fact God prepared things in advance for us
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Lets not confuse the works He’s called us to do, with the works we sometimes feel we "Must" do to be saved.
His forgiveness and salvation come to us freely for the asking. What we do from them is done out of love and gratitude, not out of obligation.
Until next time, may you come to know the difference between being in bondage to works and freely working alongside of God.
God bless.
Kevin
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© 2001 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin
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