Philippians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
We have just finished our first “Week of Prayer” for 2016 at CBC Ilderton. A big thank-you to those of you that came out to pray with your church family. In our last prayer slot we read from the above passage in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. I believe we can take great encouragement from these two little verses for the upcoming year. One of the joys of pastoring is seeing people grow in their walk with God. We love to see people “work out their own salvation”. If we stopped at that point in the verse we would be justifiably anxious and confused, why would God trust my salvation to my own work?!? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to trust myself with anything so precious. No wonder it is with “fear and trembling” that we work out our salvation! Actually, the ‘fear and trembling’ in this case has to do with awe, humility, and submission. And when we add verse 13 it all makes sense: we work out our own salvation in humility and submission because “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We have much “working out of our salvation” to be thankful for from 2015. We see growth in maturity and numbers, which is wonderful, but I believe the best, and most difficult bits for us, lay ahead – so we will need to trust God like never before. To help us prepare to trust God for his perfect will for us it often helps to be encouraged by what he is doing in the lives of others, and there are many great stories to hear from right here at CBC Ilderton!
Toward this end we wish to initiate a new communication program called “God at Work” to inform you of some of the ways God is at work ‘working out salvations’ at CBC Ilderton. We will do this in various ways such as our weekly e-bulletin, video clips, or live interviews. Our first God at Work in CBC Ilderton spotlight will be shone upon the Soares family. Next Sunday, the 17th, you are invited to stay after service for a short presentation of their involvement in International Student Ministries Canada. This is an exciting opportunity to connect with and encourage young people from across the globe. Going off to university is a big adjustment for any young person, but imagine doing so in a foreign country where language, culture, and customs present immense challenges. Whether you are interested yourself in getting involved in the life of an international student, or just curious, come on out and be encouraged by one of the ways God is at Work in CBC Ilderton.