ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Tuesday, April 12

Ephesians 2:1-10

In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins. At that time you followed the world’s evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God’s anger.

But God’s mercy is so abundant, and his love for us so great, that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved. In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him to rule with him in the heavenly world. He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love he showed us in Christ Jesus. For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.

God’s grace is a gift. We hear that often during our pastors’ sermons. His grace is not the result of our own actions and good deeds. We should help others because it is the right thing to do and we should do it joyfully, not as a means to get us into God’s good graces.

We give and receive each other’s earthly gifts – a smile, a warm dinner at PADS, the message that Jesus loves us - without the requirement to reciprocate. That is the definition of a “gift”. And Paul assures us that God’s grace is a gift. It is a saving grace, no matter how much we mess up trying to be good and not sin. Grace be with you,

Monika Fiedler

Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar. Join us Wednesday evening for supper at 6:15 and worship at 7. Then we'll see you all Sunday morning (Palm Sunday) at 8:30 and 11.