There is always more...

A day after I jotted down a few reflections on Philippians 1 and 2, I reflected on how I pen a few words, scratching at the surface of meaning, and am satisfied. For a while. Because there is ALWAYS MORE.

And so it was today, as I looked again at Philippians 2 and found this:

What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure. (vv 12 - 13, The Message)

I need:

right actions

good attitude

an appreciation that it is God who works in me to make me willing and help me act the right way.

Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing. (vv14 - 16, The Message)

And so I can

have the right attitude as I do everything cheerfully,

attaining a sense of living in a God-pleasing way

announcing to the world the truth which Christ preaches.

Even if I am executed here and now, I’ll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ’s altar, a part of your rejoicing. But turnabout’s fair play—you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don’t feel sorry for me. (vv17 - 18, The Message)

Because

we appreciate each other for our efforts to live as Jesus wants us to.

As Paul rejoices over the Philippians faith, let us, too, keep encouraging each other along The Way...

Expectation

Christmas is a time of great expectation and hopefulness.

What do we expect? What are we looking for? How do we SEE? Are we expecting to RECEIVE or to DO?

Renee Stearns says:

When confronted with a situation that’s too big for me to handle, or when frustrated by the sheer injustice of something happening right in front of me, I used to tell myself, “This is not mine to fix.”

Sometimes that helped me remember I’m not always responsible for making everything right. However, sometimes it was an excuse to do nothing.

Do you ever feel that way? Are the problems confronting the world, your community or even your family just too big to get your mind and arms around?

Turn to God’s Word and the reminder that Paul gives us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (NIV) God has given us the strength we need, to do whatever He has called us to do.

With God’s wisdom and strength, I’m learning to ask: “What is mine to do?”

For me, the answer was to help give a face to the conflict. I know I can’t bring peace to the Middle East, but I can help people better understand that the lives of real men and women, boys and girls – on both sides of the conflict – are at stake. That, I can do.

So, we can expect to do great things with God: let's open our eyes to His possibilities.