Work It Out
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ~Philippians 2:12
Our American labor laws require employers to give their employees rest breaks at different intervals during the day. This encourages employees to take a walk, make a phone call to their family, eat a snack, and recalibrate themselves. Eventually, a foreman or supervisor will remind everyone that break time is over by crying out, “Back to work!” The believers of the church at Philippi had gotten sidetracked by problems in the church. It caused the believers to become busybodies. It caused many of them to cease in serving the Lord. Paul told them, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” He was saying, “It’s time to get back to work.” Let us consider the importance of not losing focus on serving the Lord.
There is the priority.
Serving the Lord is a personal priority. God saved us to serve Him. Service is an act of worship to the Lord. It is expressing our love for Him. Serving God indicates that we are in sync with Him on seeing that His will is done on earth as it is in Heaven. Serving the Lord is also a peculiar priority. We are to serve the Lord with fear and trembling. It is realizing that we stand accountable before God for what we do. It is realizing that my actions can encourage or discourage other Christians. It is a reminder that we are to take the work of God seriously. Serving God is to be our highest priority.
There is the power.
Serving God in our own power or with a personal agenda will lead to failure and fruitless results. We must have the enablement of divine power to do God’s work. Therefore when we yield ourselves to God with fear and trembling, it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. God is the One Who gives us that compassion for souls. God is the One Who gives us longsuffering and patience. God is the One Who leads our steps and guides us to the people who need our help. God is the One Who shows us how to get the work done the right way. Let God work within you!
There is the prevention.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” When we get in the way, we allow preferences and confused ideas to interfere with serving the Lord. The people of the church are to submit themselves and follow the vision and leadership of their pastor. The people of the church are to serve and work in harmony knowing that we serve the Lord. Complaining, arguments, and disagreements are carnal and ungodly. No matter what it is, we are to do all things without murmurings and disputings. Don’t give place to these practices!
There is the publication.
Our service for God is our publication that we are the sons of God. The world already is filled with worksites where people fight, disagree, and perform at unacceptable levels of service. God’s people are to be blameless, harmless, the sons of God without rebuke among whom we shine as lights in the world. A disgruntled Christian cannot remain that way without his murmuring spewing out among the unsaved. When they hear or see Christians who cannot agree, the light they once had has been dimmed and put to silence. The world is already crooked and perverse. The world needs to see hardworking and loving Christians who are Christ-like and passionate!
Beloved, it’s time to get back to work! The whistle of the Holy Spirit is calling us to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling!
Have a God-pleasing God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: John 13-15