For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
If you’ve ever been on a farm, you may be familiar with old-fashioned water pumps. When pumps have been out of use for a time, they can often be pumped fruitlessly. Priming the pump with water, which expands the cork, bringing up water, rather than just air, can solve the problem.
Our lives can be compared to that pump. Just as pumping of the water pump is of no value without proper priming, our lives without Jesus remain empty and without purpose. Sure, our lives can be busy and appear okay on the surface, but, without a relationship with Christ, there is emptiness and no hope. Jesus came to bring us hope.
Jesus himself has primed our pumps so that, as new creations, we are free to serve him in grateful response to what he has done for us. God takes imperfect, inadequate people like us and equips us to do the marvelous works, which he has prepared for us to do.
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, grant us the desire to keep our pumps primed by keeping our eyes and our lives focused on you. We thank you for the selfless love of your son who gave his life that we might have the sure hope of eternal life. We pray this in his name. Amen.