Rumination Journal

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.” — Ephesians 2:10     Have you ever wondered whether your life truly has a purpose? Scripture answers that question with a wonderful assurance: you are God’s workmanship. You are not an accident or an afterthought. God knows you, loves you, and has created you with purpose. Your life matters to Him, and He desires to work through you in ways that bring His love and grace into the lives of others. Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:10 are especially meaningful when we remember what comes immediately before them. In verses 8 and 9, Paul explains that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our own works. Then he tells us that we have been “created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” The order is important. We do not perform good works in order to earn God’s salvation. We do good works because we have already received His salvation. Grace comes first. Good works ...

“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:43-45     What does greatness look like? The world offers many answers. Success. Influence. Recognition. Achievement. Power. But Jesus gave His disciples a very different answer. Greatness looks like service. The disciples had been discussing positions of honor in the kingdom of God. They were thinking about who might be greatest. Jesus redirected their thinking. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” In God's kingdom, greatness is not measured by how many people serve us. It is revealed by our willingness to serve others.   Pause and reflect: How do I usually measure a successful or meaningful life? Do I think primarily about what I have accomplished, or do I also consider how faithfully I have loved an...