The Lord Has Good Use for You

By Rev. Brent W. Kuhlman

Salvation is yours.

Jesus won it.That’s Calvary, His Good Friday death where He said,“It is finished!”

What about Good Friday’s benefits? Jesus sees to that too. He dishes out the salvation He won for you through the preaching of His cross, the words of forgiveness spoken in the Absolution, the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit at Baptism, and in the bread and wine of the Supper whereby He feeds you with His Body and His Blood.

You are redeemed.Your relationship with God is secure. It’s heavenly. You’re His. He has you. He is never going to let you go.

“So now what?”

“What’s my life supposed to be about?”

Great questions. Great answer too. It isn’t about getting saved. That’s been done. Jesus already did that. Salvation’s been received through Him, not achieved by you.

Jesus has redeemed you for the next world (heaven), but He has use for you now in this world (the earth) “for good works,” as St. Paul puts it (Ephesians 2:10).

That’s it. You are to do good works—not for the next world but for this world, not because God needs them but because the people with whom we live do. The Lord’s Good Friday death now gives you the freedom and permission to be the human He’s created, redeemed, and sanctified: “offering your bodies as living sacrifices” for others (Romans 12:1).

Faith in Jesus gives birth to deeds that serve your father and mother. Parents are to receive honor, love, and obedience from you. That means coming home at or before the curfew. That means giving them respect. That means providing for them in their old age. Your life is one of service to them. This is the good use the Lord has for you as a son or daughter.

Faith in Jesus bears fruit in your life as you continue school, go to college, and apply for a job. You will study and obtain employment so that you can be of help to people in this world. Perhaps you will become a doctor or a surgeon. Sick people would greatly benefit from your works of mercy. God would use your hands and your good mind for the healing of many. Maybe you will be a teacher or a lawyer. The Lord’s good use for you would be in the classroom or the courtroom. In either case, you would be the Lord’s instrument to help people to be good and productive citizens. Men, some of you may be called to be pastors in the Church. There the Lord would use your mouth and hands to preach the Gospel, baptize, absolve, and serve the Lord’s Supper to comfort poor sinners. Most of you will eventually get married and have children. There the Lord will use you to live for your spouse and for your children.

Regardless of the stations in life in which the Lord puts you, He has good use for you.You are to be His instruments of service: His hands, His mouth. God is at work in the world through you to provide great good.

Good works? We Lutherans are all for them. For as we do them through faith in Jesus, they serve the neighbor in love. Love for the neighbor: that’s the good use the Lord has for you. It is the Lord’s mission for you.

Rev. Brent W. Kuhlman is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Murdock, Nebraska, and can be reached at bb55841@alltel.net.