The passage I read was Philippians 1:1-11
You can find that passage here:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+1%3A1-11&version=NIV
The verse that most stood out to me:
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
As I reflect:
Paul prays in a thankful manner when praying for other believers. He prays for other believers every time he prays. He says of the philippian believers that he always prays with joy because of their partnership in the gospel. He is likely talking about the fact that since day one of his beginning the mission to preach the word, the Philippians got behind him and supported what Paul was doing. They gave financial, emotional, physical, and spiritual support praying for him and being there for him when ever they could. Paul is joyful in praying for them because of the great support they had shown him. Paul says of the Philippians that he is confident that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” What does this mean?
The redemptive work on the cross is done. Our salvation is done. Is our sanctification done? Is this the good work that is going on in us? Are we being molded constantly throughout our lives to be sanctified wholly? Sanctification is a process. It is the process of being made holy. And when God is molding us in this process of sanctification, there is evidence of that work. We grow in the fruit of the Spirit as one of those evidences. Paul sees this growth and the characteristics of being molded and accepting that molding in the Phillipian believers. He thus knows that if they are accepting and acting in such a way as to grow in their walk with God and every day be part of the process of sanctification, that the end result can be nothing other than a complete sanctification before God. We too are being made holy. We too have a choice every day to press forward in this process having all of our characteristics molded so that when we stand before our Lord Jesus Christ on judgment day we will be completely holy. Trust this, that God is a worker who always finishes what He starts.
Paul goes on in verse 7 and 8 to quite effectively share his affections for his fellow believers in Philippi. You can tell that he feels deeply for them and is obviously quite close to them though he may be physically far from them at the present time. I too have had friends like this. That even when they are not close, they are close to my heart and I rightfully long for their presence in a spiritual way. I had a friend once explain to me that it is quite possible that since our creation, God had designed us specifically as each other’s brother and that once we were close and studying the word together, we knew it was a spiritual brother hood type bond that would never be severed. I believe that it is a similar bond that Paul here feels for his spiritual family in Philippi.
The last 3 verses, Paul says that he is praying that their “love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ- to the glory and praise of God. “ So here he is praying for one for the fruit of the Spirit (love) to abound more and more. The purpose he gives for this is to allow them to discern what is best. He also states in this prayer that they would be pure and blameless for the day of Christ (holy – sanctification complete), filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ (again – sanctification complete). I love that he also includes the reason for the process coming to completion being for the “glory and praise of God”, Which of course is our very purpose in existence.
There is a lot to take from this passage. For me, I am choosing to remember that sanctification is a process and I need not be too hard on myself for it is God who sanctifies. I am to trust His work in me and recognize when he is molding a certain area that I may also focus my efforts on growing in that same area as He leads. I am also taking from this, that my prayers for fellow believers are to be affectionate and that any good I pray for them should be for the glory of Christ. This actually stands out to me as a rule to remember really. If I ever find that what I am praying for is not something that would glorify the Lord, then I pray for something/someone in vain. May it all be to the glory of the One that I pray to.
My response to the Lord:
My Holy Father, I am indeed learning to trust in you more by the day. I know that this is all part of the process you are using to mold me in this life long sanctification. Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters whom you know are dear to me. I pray that they be encouraged in their pursuit of your will here on earth as it is in heaven. I pray that their hearts be available and prepared for each nudge you give. I pray that they would readily bend to your word as to not be broken in disobedience. I pray no less for myself Father. May the eyes and ears of my heart discern where you are working that I may bend to your will. I truly trust that you know best and for this reason I desire not only to go where you want me to and do what you want me to, but to entirely be who you want me to. I know my close brothers feel this way too. Father, thank you for my close family in Christ. It sooths my heart to be in their presence for we are always gathered in your name. Lord may you fill us (them and me) with the fruit of your Spirit here with us, that we may discern what is best and be pure and blameless on the day we stand before our Savior and Redeemer, Your Son Jesus Christ, in Whose name I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment