
Prayer in light of Ephesians 2:8-10.
Our Father,
We come before you this morning, with no boasts in ourselves. There is nothing that we have done that makes us worthy of your great salvation. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. There is nothing about our genetics, our ethnicity, our heritage that would warrant a kind disposition from you. There is nothing in us that would warrant your grace. There are no good works we have done or will do that can deal with our guilt and the punishment we rightly deserve. We have nothing to boast about in ourselves.
But thankfully, to the praise of your glorious grace, you are gracious. And by your grace you have saved us. Your grace has accomplished our salvation. Your grace is the ultimate cause of our salvation. Your favor through Christ to us wrath deserving sinners is the only reason we are saved and your favor through Christ is how you have saved. We haven’t, we don’t, and we can’t earn your favor with our works. Christ has earned your favor for us. And so by your grace we trust in Jesus Your Son, our Savior – his life, his death, and his resurrection as our only hope. What a gift of your abundant mercy – salvation by grace through faith is a gift from your generous, gracious hand. And in this gift, you have re-created us, re-made us in Christ to now do your work in Him and through Him. You have saved us not because of good works, but you save us for good works, that we would do good works as your saved and redeemed children. What a gift, what a privilege to involve us in your eternal plans to accomplish your eternal purposes in Christ. What a grace that we get to participate in your work in the world.
Help us we pray, help us to walk in the good works that you have planned out for us. Cause our lives to be governed not by our own plans and purposes and desires, but rather cause our lives to be governed by the good works you have for us to do here and now in this life, in this week, this day, this moment. By your grace continue and complete the work of your gracious salvation in us through Christ. Help us not to think that our works contribute to our salvation. Humble us with the reality of our total inability to contribute anything to our salvation. Remind us daily of what Jesus has done for us in meriting your favor for us. Encourage us each moment to do the good works you’ve given your children to do. Remind us that it is an undeserved privilege to be employed in your purposes and plans – to get to participate in your work. Energize us to do the works you’ve prepared for us to do.
In Christ we pray, amen.