Welcome back to Living Life’s Way, where we share moments of profound truth and encourage your journey with “The Healing Heart Time of Prayer.” This podcast is designed for every Christian woman who longs for a deeper, more meaningful spiritual walk with God and seeks healing for her heart.
In this episode, we turn our attention to the beautiful and liberating words of Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This single verse answers one of life’s most profound questions: What is my purpose?
Join Dr. Mary Buck as she explores the foundational truth that you are a masterpiece created by God. This episode will guide you in understanding that your good works are not a way to earn salvation, but are the very reason you were created. This truth provides immense freedom and a profound sense of meaning, which is essential for a healing heart.
We hope this podcast is more than just a listening experience; we hope it is an invitation to encounter Jesus in a new and personal way. After listening, we encourage you to use the prayer journal prompts and activity at the end of the transcript. These questions are a perfect way to reflect on your divine purpose and the good works God has prepared just for you.
THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
FOR MEDICAL ADVICE OR DIAGNOSIS, CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL.
The Healing Heart of Prayer: God’s Handiwork
Dr. Buck: Welcome back to The Healing Heart Time of Prayer. I’m Dr. Mary Buck, your Christian life coach. I’m so glad you’ve chosen to spend this time with me today as we explore a foundational truth that can anchor our identity and bring us a deep sense of peace to our hearts.
Our focus today is a verse that beautifully defines who we are in Christ: Ephesians 2:10, and it reads like this: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
To help me unpack this incredible truth, I have Abby, my digital assistant, with us. Abby?
Abby: Hello, Dr. Buck. The word that stands out the most to me is “handiwork.” What does that tell us about who we are in God’s eyes?
Dr. Buck: That’s a beautiful question, Abby. The Greek word for “handiwork” is poiēma, from which we get our English word “poem.” It suggests that we are God’s masterpiece, His work of art, a unique creation that He crafted with intentionality and purpose. This isn’t a cookie-cutter design; each one of us is an original work, created with immense care and detail.
Abby: That’s such a liberating thought! So often a feeling that one must earn their worth can often rise up. But the verse goes on to say that God created His people to do good works. How can our listeners understand the distinction between earning their way to God and simply living out the purpose for which they were created?
Dr. Buck: That’s the heart of the matter, Abby. The previous verse, Ephesians 2:8-9, makes it clear that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. Our good works are not a prerequisite for salvation; they are the result of it. They are the overflow of a heart that has been transformed by Christ.
When we grasp this, it provides immense healing. It frees us from the pressure to perform or to prove our worth. Instead, we can live with a joyful sense of purpose, knowing that the good works we do were already “prepared in advance for us to do.” Our life has meaning not because of what we accomplish, but because we are living out a purpose already set in motion by a loving God.
Abby: That’s a powerful distinction. And what a wonderful sense of freedom that verse brings to know that God has a purpose and a plan for those who put their trust in Him. And, Dr. Buck, just to let you know, we are out of time for this week’s episode.
Dr. Buck: Thanks for letting us know, Abby. My dear sisters, in Christ, Let’s take these truths to prayer.
Dr. Buck: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the profound truth that we are your handiwork, your unique creation. We pray that you would free us from any pressure to earn our way into your love, and help us instead to rest in the truth that we are already loved and already saved.
Show us the good works you have prepared in advance for us to do. Give us the wisdom to walk in them and the joy of knowing that our lives have a purpose that is rooted in your plan, not our performance. We pray all of this in the mighty and precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Dr. Buck: My sisters in Christ, I pray that you’ll be encouraged by the truth of His word today. And my friend, as you are listening in today, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, do so now. Allow God to reveal to you the good plan and purpose He has established for you.
Thank you for joining me for The Healing Heart Time of Prayer. Until next time, may His peace and powerful presence be with you. And remember, as God gets bigger in our lives, we get stronger.
[Outro Music Fades In]
Journal Prompts and Activity
Journal Prompts: God’s Handiwork
- My Purpose, My Peace: Reflect on the phrase “God’s handiwork.” What does it mean to you to be a masterpiece created by God? How does this identity provide a sense of peace and worth that is not dependent on what you do?
- A Pre-planned Path: Write about a time in your life when you felt you were walking in a purpose that was bigger than yourself. How did that experience affirm the truth that God has prepared good works for you to do?
- An Overflowing Heart: The Bible teaches that our good works are an overflow of a transformed heart. In what ways can you allow God to heal you and change you so that your “good works” flow more naturally from a place of love, not a place of duty?
Related Activity
Today, choose one task to do that you would normally consider a chore or a mundane part of your day. As you do it, consciously think of it as a “good work” prepared by God. Offer it to Him, doing it with excellence as a way of glorifying Him. Pay attention to how this perspective changes your attitude about the task.
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