Welcome to the PoG blog! Lord, help me listen with my heart today as you speak through Your word!
Philippians 2 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life.
Two phrases really jump out at me, “work out your salvation” and “shine like stars”! Maybe take a moment again and read the passage. How do those phrases strike you?
As I read it again, I noticed something with regards to the “work out your salvation”! The next line brings me some much needed help to do that! “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose”! God is in me, working in me, living in me, fueling me from the inside for me to do what He wants me to do. That is good news.
This morning as I write this I am a little worried about a couple of things I need to get accomplished today. I don’t know exactly how to go about them. They involve other people so that always adds some emotional/relational variables to the situation. God is reminding me that “HE” is working in me to accomplish “HIS” will and purpose. That is what I really yearn for today in every situation, “God’s will and purpose to be accomplished!”
He is working in me – I can trust that – to work this amazing salvation I have into every crack and crevice of my life. “Work out your salvation” means there is nothing that is going on in my life today that my salvation in Jesus doesn’t impact. I have life in God and with God today because Jesus has saved me from myself, my sin and the evil one! Just like working yeast into every part of the dough I get to work this “life with Jesus” I have into every part of today! And God is at work today to accomplish that very thing in me! That is a very different sort of perspective as I work my way through life today!
Perhaps that is why it says, “As you do this - God empowered working out your salvation thing- you will “shine like stars in the universe”!
I hope you and I both stand out in the crowd – living this kind of “contrast life” as we move through today. This Jesus saved, God fueled, Father loved, Spirit touched, Hope embracing, Faith walking, Love exuding, Peace calmed, Power filled, Life giving experience called life that we get to have today is not just a dream – its REAL and it will be a very stark but very, very good contrast to the lives around us.
Remember, God is at work in you doing this!
Father, Thank you for making it possible for me to live under your authority, rule and reign this day! I love you, I worship you and trust you! I surrender to you and your work and will in my life! I am excited to see how you will work through my life today so that I shine like a star in the universe. Help me live a life today where people see LIFE in me! Amen
Enjoy!
delton