God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT). 

For the past 6 or so years, I have volunteered as a teacher’s assistant at a local kid’s summer camp, a Vacation Bible School. Each year has a different theme for decorations, lessons, activities, etc., and a verse that serves as a motto for the children to live by. The summer of 2022’s motto was Ephesians 2:10, particularly the translation cited above. That means, by the end of the five days we spent with the kids (as young as three years old), they had learned by heart the truth that they are God’s masterpieces with an unalterable purpose. 

This truth is so true and good that even the youngest of our society are learning who they are: special children of God. If children can know this to be true, surely those of us who are older can, too!

In this week’s passage, Paul is writing a letter to the church of Ephesus, describing to them the good things that stem from the resurrection. Because of Christ’s resurrection, born-again Christians have been washed clean of their sins and have been shown His mercy and grace (vs. 5). Paul makes sure to clarify in verses 8-9 that salvation is not something we earn, it is something that was given to us when Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death. Now that we have been blessed with this new, eternal life, Paul reminds us that this is all because we are God’s masterpiece with a purpose (vs. 10). 

That purpose? To worship God and to enjoy Him forever (as beautifully stated several hundred years later in the Westminster Catechism). Because of the work of the cross and the resurrection, we can be assured that we are, in fact, children of God whom He loved so much as to save us. Since we have been given this salvation, we are obligated to reciprocate that love and fulfill our purpose, through joy and worship. Worship is more than simply going to church–it can even include praising God for a small thing that happened on a bad day. Similarly, enjoying God is more than a feeling of joy–it is being satisfied with His presence in our lives. 

At its most basic level, this is what the children at that summer of Vacation Bible School know–that they are special and God chose them to glorify Him for the rest of eternity through reading the Bible, talking about Jesus with friends, and even thanking God for the day that he has given to us. 

We can also know this to be true because of the beautiful work of Jesus on Easter. How can you live out this innate purpose this week with a child-like faith? How will you glorify the One who offered you eternal life with Him as you go about your days?