~ by Terry Walters
Ephesians 2:8-10
In one of my favorite episodes of the TV series MASH,
a bomb was dropped into the army hospital camp,
but it didn't explode. They radioed for help
but ended up having to disarm the bomb themselves.
Two of the doctors donned helmets and carried mattresses
as shields, as they went to disarm the bomb.
Colonel Blake knelt behind sandbags at a distance and
called out the instructions through a bullhorn.
They removed the housing. Then Blake called out
to cut the wires connected to the housing.
The doctors cut the wires. Then Blake called out,
“But first - remove the fuse!”
Well, they looked at each other,
put the housing down, and ran for cover!
The bomb gave a soft explosion and
blew propaganda fliers all over the camp!
It was harmless, but could have been deadly,
because they didn't do the steps in the right order!
It's the same, only with eternal consequences, when people
get the order wrong where good works are concerned.
Many believe that good works will or might get
them to salvation and therefore heaven someday.
According to our passage, salvation is a gift
from God to those who trust Him and
then, that leads to doing good works.
Trying to put good works first is like
cutting the wires before diffusing the bomb.
You should do good works, “but first” …
trust God for His gift of salvation!
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to show people
that they must first trust You.
Then works follow grace through faith.
P.S. I can't tell you how many times I have jumped
ahead in assembling things and ignored the order,
only to learn later that it really mattered.
I have had to undo, then redo many times!
Doing things in the right order is often crucial.
In the case of salvation, it is absolutely essential!
Books by Terry - My Blog - My Facebook Page - Pastor's Favorites - Daily Devotions Page