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June 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12,13. A great part of our working out our salvation is to come to the realization that our efforts are largely futile. It is not ‘Christ plus my efforts.’ Instead it is ‘Christ plus my receiving.’ The irony is that God invariably chooses a leader from among us who has experience at failing. It is only when we realize that we cannot improve upon the workings of God that we can submit totally to His will. As for working out my salvation, I have learned that it is to be done largely within the body of Christ. Those whom I contact test my patience, my ability to love the unlovely, and my desire to reach out to them past my own comfort zone. And I cannot do any of this in the flesh. More than any other desire I must want to become like Jesus. By yielding to Him I can come to know Him—in every way. We cannot free ourselves from our old nature in Adam. God has already done that at the cross. I can only allow Him to have His way with me—by faith placed in Jesus. No matter what the cost, no matter what difficulties arise, I cannot attain to His calling by my strength. He is glorified only when I submit to Him in weakness. Thank You Father for working out my salvation. For me to do this is futile. I come to You in fear and trembling. And through it all I have this vision of becoming more and more like Your image. Amen. |
