Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence,
but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Phil. 2:12-13) NIV.
“What’s next on my calendar?”, I said to myself. “Did I forget anything?” It seems like there is always something that needs to be done, something that I wanted to get done, and things that I really don’t want to do at all. In the back of our minds, we “know” what’s coming up: buying candy for Halloween, paying the utility bills and property tax bill, car payments or insurances, perhaps the credit card bill. We may have some things on auto pay, but there are still other things to do for our list is unending!
Have you ever thought, “God, what’s next that you want me to be at or do for you?” The Apostle Paul writes that we are to work out our salvation. We know that God wants us to attend the worship service at 10:00 am, but what about 11:30 am of the ACH and 12:30 fellowship luncheon time? Where are you and what are you doing in those two hours?
If we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, then perhaps we shouldn’t take lightly our hours at church. One day God may ask us this question, “What do you do during the hours at church? Did you work out your salvation by learning more about Me and how to live your life before me?”
I wonder what excuses I can give to God. Maybe I can say to God, “The classes are ‘boring’, or it doesn’t ‘meet’ my needs so that is the reason I never attended any classes. Maybe, I can say to God,
“I wanted to ‘fellowship’ with my friends since I haven’t talked to them all week!”
I wonder whether God will accept my excuses, but I dread if He was to ask me, “What did you do during the ACH or Fellowship Luncheon? Did you share anything about Me or encourage your friend in walking with the Lord?” So, let’s ask ourselves, “What am I truly doing between 10:00 am to 1:30 pm on Sundays?” Wouldn’t it be great if we can say that sought to learn more about Him and how to walk with Him!
One day, our NEXT STEP will be giving an account of how we used our time on earth. What are you and me going to say to God on that Day on how you used the 10:00 am to 1:30 pm time? Is that the reason why the Apostle Paul says to us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling! There is an accounting Day of our life on earth as His child of God.
Kingston Tong
Oct. 22nd, 2023