Custom Made

“The further we distance ourselves from God, the less that God can honor us.”

In the depths of sin or the midst of running, that’s the furthest thing from our minds. Often, we run, we hide . . . because what we’re doing doesn’t honor God. We don’t stop to think that He, too, desires to honor us.

But He does.

Ephesians 2:10 states that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

There are a couple things we can take away from this. One, God has a plan for us. Two, we have been uniquely created, custom made, to carry out this sacred plan.

Now, I’m not new to Bible-reading, but I am new to Bible-studying. I can admit that. And If you don’t believe there’s a difference, I’m telling you there is.

So the first thing I learned in studying is that the Apostle Paul was really fond of hope. But not just any hope. “Elpis.” Elpis is the Greek word for hope, and it’s defined as a concrete and expected hope, an unshakeable confidence in salvation. Take from that what you will. What I took was expected. The expectation of salvation through Jesus.

Before Paul was Paul, he was Saul. And Saul was a man self-described as “the worst sinner” (1 Timothy 1:15). The verses that immediately precede it find him describing himself as a violent, blasphemous persecutor of Christians. This is spoken about all throughout the book of Acts. Then the grace of the Lord was poured upon him.

Later, in Titus 3:7, Saul/Paul speaks of this grace, saying we have been justified by the grace of Jesus Christ so that we might become heirs, having the hope of eternal life (i.e. salvation). Elpis. Someone like Saul, under the gift of grace, could turn from his ways and develop an expectation of salvation through Jesus.

Saul was six feet under in sin. Considerably farther than one foot in the grave. He wasn’t honoring God—he was buried under unbelief. Because of this, he was positioning himself in such a way that God couldn’t honor him either. But God being God . . . He still wanted to. He wanted to gift Saul the elpis of salvation. He wanted to fill him (and us) with hope and joy and peace as he (we) trust in Him (Romans 15:13).

As we trust in Him.

What does it mean to trust in Him?

Well, since we’re breaking down Greek words found in the New Testament, the Greek word for trust is “pistis,” and it means to have a deep, active reliance, confidence, and commitment to God rather than intellectual belief alone.

Trusting in God . . . is action.

We know what we know, but do we do because we know? That’s the million dollar question.

There are a few ways to actively live out our trust in God. When we willfully put down worry and pick up faith. When we study His word intentionally and engage in prayer. There are also a few places where He calls us to live in trust in Him, to pursue elpis.

If: in the event of.

When: during which time the event occurs.

If is a wild card. A chance.

When is a call to action.

When you pray. When you do charitable deeds.

Check and check.

When you fast.

Not if. When.

Keeping true to our established Greek fashion, the Greek word for fast is “nesteuo” (v.). It’s use was to deny the body = humble the soul. It was and still is intended as a means of seeking God through self-denial rather than to gain accolades or merit, a way to strengthen or deepen one’s bond with their Heavenly Father.

“Fasting shows God that we are desperate for His help and seeking His attention by the extraordinary measure of forsaking our necessary food, so that our voice might be heard on high. When we come to God in this way, privately and out of public notice, fully aware that we deserve nothing from Him and can earn nothing by fasting, but that He is a gracious, generous, and loving Father who cares about us, we can be sure that God does indeed hear us.” (credit: CS Lewis Institute).

Fasting is deliberate. It’s intentional. It’s about positioning ourselves to receive God. In this, fasting is worship. It’s a tried-and-true method throughout both the Old and New Testaments of seeking after Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13, Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverbs 8:17, Hebrews 11:6).

Matthew 6:16 calls us to this form of worship: “When you fast.” A call to action, but not one done in vain. Rather in hope. In elpis.

God wanted to honor Saul. So He did.

He wants to do the same for us. Carefully, He formed us (Jeremiah 1:5), has set a purpose for us (2 Timothy 1:9), and walks beside us (Matthew 28:20).

His desire is to fill us with all hope as we trust in Him (Romans 15:13).

We are to be His house, custom-made to carry out His purpose for our lives if we cling to elpis (Hebrews 3:6).

A call to action. Actively trusting, actively hoping, actively moving towards the glorious salvation He has prepared for us.

The words are written in red. That means Jesus is calling us to worship, to trust, to fast. He urges us not to store up our treasures in a fading world, but instead store them up in Heaven where our hope (expectation) of salvation promises an eternity with Him. Where we place our treasures, so we place our hearts (Matthew 6:19-21).

And our hearts belong on high with King Jesus.

He wants to honor us.

And He will . . . if we let Him.