By Jonathan Keller
In volleyball, a nasty spike comes after a perfect set. Professionals play at such speeds that the window for the spike is but a moment, yet the resulting power from the play wows audiences.
For the past weeks, we’ve looked at God’s providential control over several elements in our lives: creation, evil, and His church. Today, we close this series by considering God’s control in our good works, which surprisingly are much more like the bump-set-spike pattern of volleyball than we know or may like.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks of our good works as those “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (2:10). To the Philippians he adds the idea that God “works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (2:13).
Prepared Good Works
Though Christians are called to do good works after our salvation, it is improper for us to perceive that these good works are generated from our own efforts. When called to love my enemies, for example, I imagine that I need to drum up a great well of compassion for them. Maybe your good work is the work of moderation, so you need great discipline to stop work, overeating, worry, or over-exercise for the sake of other important matters. Rather than insist on our own gumption, Paul tells us that God prepared these good works beforehand. They are stones He laid along our path to walk in them, not stones created by our hands!
Desire for Good Works
With the Philippians passage, we need to add the idea that God calls us to good works that we want to do. Phrases like “white knuckling” or “force myself” capture the sense that doing good works, grinding against our sin-seared consciences. Thankfully the Lord does not leave us to this drudgery for eternity! Instead, He works by His Word and His Spirit to change our desires toward good works. What seemed laborious to us years ago turns into a natural joy. Day by day He forms us to delight in doing His will.
This can sound like brainwashing, but what the Lord is really doing is realigning us with our created design. Our factory settings included a will to please the Lord through good works, but sin took hold of us to turn inward. Our ambitions moved from our Creator to the creature staring back at us in the mirror.
God’s Good Providence
Throughout this series of short meditations, we’ve seen that God’s providence steps down into our lives. His hand works all around us even today, tending to the creation while guarding against evil, building His church while governing our good works. I dare you to explore this week how the Lord is active in your life in these ways, especially in how He assures you with His kindness in carrying out His good works for His glory and our good.