...in complete gratitude...

“12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. 16 It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labour in vain.

17 But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you — 18 and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me” Philippians 2:12-18.

Just in case you are feeling abandoned by God, in case you think God has forgotten you or is too busy taking care of you, consider these amazing words of Paul in today’s Scripture: “God is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure” verse 13. Notice the two things God continuously enables you to do at every moment: to will, or desire, to think thoughts and to desire to make decisions that keep you faithful to Him every moment of your day and night, and to work, or make a decision, to think of the right choice to make, or to make a decision or choice to remain faithful and generous to Almighty God every moment of your day. Frankly, dear friends, this is Paul’s way of saying that “God is at work in you giving you His sufficient grace every moment of your life, asleep and awake.” This is another way that Paul assures us that “we are never alone”, that “God is always with us”. We don’t have to beg God. He is already present with us, at work to help us be faithful. Just ask, just seek, just knock — and God is already there!

So all we have to do is to call up upon God in gratitude whenever we think of Him or need Him. He is already present working His grace to think and to do what is faithful.

What a beautiful word from the lips of Paul and the heart of God!

Have a great day.

Prayer of the Day

Lord, I am spoiled and touched by Your presence today,

so overwhelmed with gratitude

to consider Your constant and loving presence in my life.

I love You and praise You for what You give me,

even when I don’t feel You or realize Your presence in my life.

May I live my life this day in Your obedient presence.

In Your Name I pray, amen!