His Work, My Work

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. I was reading a book the other day where the character mentioned not doing God’s work for Him. I thought that was interesting. In scripture thought, we sometimes see this dichotomy, where God tells us what we need to do, what He has empowered us to do, and what He would do. For example, John 15v5 (Classic Amplified Version) says “I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.” As we abide in Christ, He provides the nourishment and everything that we need to live a fruitful life.

Verse 7 says “If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.” That is, by remaining in fellowship with the Lord, and His words living in our hearts, we can ask whatever we want and it shall be done for us, based on the condition that we remain in Christ and let His words remain in us. We also need to do the asking, and God will do the answering, even as we see very clearly in Matthew 7v7-8 “Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.”

Philippians 2v12-13 (The Message) says “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.” Here again, we see that we have a part to play in working out / showing the results of our salvation, while God has His work and is at work giving us the energy and desire to be willing and able to please Him. Praise the Lord.

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word this day. We thank You for the things that You would have us do and we bless You for them. We pray that we would do our work and not be slack in it, and at the same time, allow You to be God in our lives, and do that which You alone can do. Let us have faith and depend on You to bring to pass what You will. We thank You and honour You in Jesus name, amen.