Am I looking to God's purposes or my own? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 2:12-13,

"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, for it is God who works in you to
will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

Paul tells us to "work out" our salvation, and that with fear and
trembling. He tells us it is God who works in us to make decisions and
take actions to fulfill his own purposes.

How different from today! Over the years I have heard many prayers
express something different from what Paul presents us here. Many of
those prayers have been uttered by me! They have tended to be requests
asking God to take up my agenda rather than I take up his. "Oh,
Lord...", please make this or that happen. Help me get this or
accomplish that. Prayer requests where we seek God to help us fulfill
our own purposes, to help us achieve our own agenda. Prayer requests
where we seek God to be on our side.

But Paul tell us God has his own purposes, his own agenda. Perhaps a
better prayer request on my part might have been to ask God for
strength and resolve to help fulfill his own purposes, his own agenda,
that I be found on his side, helping the cause of what he seeks to do.
The working out of our salvation, our part, is to "will and to act in
order to fulfill his [God's] good purpose."

So, what might be the purposes of God? We certainly know that God's
ultimate purpose in this life is to build his kingdom. Life exists
today to create people and reach them with the gospel. God is building
his kingdom and that project will continue until the Lord returns for
those who are his and sets up a new order of things.

Here are several passages that speak to God's purposes:

"He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything
we have done but because of his own purpose and grace." 2 Timothy 1:9.

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us.
With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of
his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring
unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we
were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him
who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might
be for the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:7-12.

"[God] wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the
truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind,
the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this
purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the
truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the
Gentiles." 1 Timothy 2:4-7.

The purposes of God are wonderful. He asks we work out our salvation,
as he works in us, to make choices and act in ways that accomplish
these in our lives.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com