The Wednesday Word 12.22.2021

 

Philippians 1:1-11 New Living Translation

1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ - for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Paul closes this portion of the message with a description of the greatest gift we could ever unwrap, “the fruit of our salvation.” That fruit is hanging right there within your reach on a tree planted by God; a tree nurtured and brought to bear by the life and death of Jesus Christ. You had nothing to do with it. It was all done for you. All you have to do is reach for it and the fruit is yours. Once you realize just what has been done for you, you are changed.

Paul is praying for the Philippians, as well as you and me. He prays that we learn to love each other and the world around us the way God loves us. Paul wants us to grow in our knowledge of God and in our understanding of Jesus’ teachings in order to live the kind of life we were meant to live. The more we understand what the Scriptures have to tell us, the more we strive for that kind of life. Wesley called it the process of sanctification. Why? Because God wants to help us live the kind of life Paul called “pure and blameless.” The kind of life that is pleasing to the Creator God Almighty. The kind of life that reflects all the love poured out for us in the being of that tiny Baby in the manger. Learn to treasure this gift more with each passing day and that fruit of your salvation will bring glory and praise to its author, Our Father God…something to pray about.

Don’t forget to look for the Lord today. Vicki H.

                                                                                                photo by Breanne Hong on Unsplash

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