Summer Fruit Devotion: Goodness Day 4

Walking Good

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” Romans 15:13-14

God raises the dead, but instead of mindless, brain thirsty hordes, his grace, love and kindness toward us make us spiritually alive, new creations, full of goodness, who can walk in good works. We’re not the “Walking Dead,” we are the “Walking Good.” In all these studies about goodness and the fruit of the Spirit I hope you hear the heart of scripture, goodness can’t save. It is God, because of his mercy and love, who saves. He makes us alive and fills us with His goodness, which should spill out of us in the form of good works, encouragement, and instruction in God’s love. We may wrestle all our lives with sin and discouragement and an enemy that wants us to believe we are worthless, but if the Holy Spirit is at work in you then you are full of goodness. God has actually prepared good things for you to do and given you power from the Holy Spirit so don’t be afraid to walk in them.

Journal time. Write the words “Alive & Full of Goodness” on a 3×5 card and stick it to your bathroom mirror. When you pray in the mornings thank God that you are spiritually alive and full of goodness because of Christ in you, then ask him for open eyes to see those opportunities to walk in good works and instruct and encourage others with that goodness.

Pray with me today. Heavenly Father, you are the God of hope and the only hope we have in this world. Thank you for making us alive and full of goodness. We can’t do it on our own. It’s so much easier to be apathetic and selfish. Fill us with all joy and peace and hope and goodness. Holy Spirit give us the power to do God’s good will, encouraging and instructing one another in the Gospel. Give us boldness to walk in the good works you’ve prepared for us. In the living and hopeful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.