God's Work by Samantha Ruehl

Ephesians 2:10
10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

According to Ephesians 2:10, when God created us He prepared opportunities for us to do good works. Since these opportunities have already been prepared for us, all we have to do is keep our eyes open and listen for God’s voice and when we hear it, respond. Although God has planned these opportunities for us we still have a choice because of our free will. If we hear God’s voice or God is laying something on our hearts we must choose to act on it. It is so easy to miss out on these opportunities. I just missed out on one of these opportunities on one of the most important days of the year, Jesus’ Resurrection.

While I was getting ready to go to my grandma’s house for Easter dinner I felt the Lord telling me to ask my family if I could say a prayer at dinner. I didn’t grow up in a Christian family, so this would have been the first time anyone has ever lead the family in a prayer. If you think about it, it’s pretty crazy that God would want me to do this on the day that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to prove that He is indeed the One True God.

After God told me He wanted me to do this I responded to Him by saying, “Lord I will try my best to do what You asked of me, if You will provide Me with the perfect moment to do this.” I was thinking to myself that if God provided the perfect opportunity maybe I could do it, while at the same time leaving a way out by saying, “I will try my best.” I was scared because I knew my grandma doesn’t believe and she can be one tough scary lady, and I also have deaf people in my family that I wouldn’t want to feel left out. Anyways, our ever-so-faithful God provided me with the perfect opportunity that my ever-so-unfaithful self missed out on.

There are usually about 12 people that come to dinner at my grandma’s house on holidays, so we can’t all fit around one table, well this time there was only 8. We all fit around the table perfectly and when everyone got their food and began eating it was silent for a couple minutes. I knew this was the perfect opportunity but got scared because I knew it would’ve required me to leave my comfort zone. I missed the perfect opportunity, which I now regret.

Sitting here writing about it today makes me feel horrible for not following through. I could have possibly planted a seed in my family’s hearts, and now I will never know. I also missed out on a good work that the Lord had prepared for me and it doesn’t feel good. I encourage you to keep your eyes out for these good works that the Lord has prepared in advance, and to listen to what God asks of You because if He planned it You know it is for a good purpose.