Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12 (KJV).

REFLECT:
There is a word commonly used which says, ‘It is not what a man does outside in the open that truly counts with God, rather it is what a man does in secret, away from prying eyes that would usually count with God.’

No matter how much we appear to pretend outwardly if the outward show of character and behavior we portray is not commensurate with how we behave in our secret compartments, it will only be a matter of time before our true nature will be revealed. This was exactly what Jesus meant in Luke 12: 2 – 3 “Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops”(KJV).

The more reason why as believers in Christ Jesus we must pay particular attention to our lives, our behavior surrounding what we say and how we act especially in secret. Why is that? This is because it is in the secret places, away from the limelight that we are groomed and trained for service before we are allowed to openly display what we have acquired from the Lord.

This type of grooming or training is a Biblical pattern, and we see this in the lives of many Biblical figures such as Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and our Lord Jesus. All of whom were groomed, trained, and fashioned in the secret before being presented to work out their purposes openly.

All of these people knew how important it was to work out their salvation with fear and trembling in the secret places as well as in the open for all to see.

It is therefore for this purpose our Bible verse for today draws our attention to how important it is for us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The questions we may wish to ask here are, how can we accomplish this goal? What would it take for us to get to the point of working out our salvation with fear and trembling?

To answer the questions above, the following are a few helpful tips.

1. We must humble ourselves and allow God to teach us obedience, especially, as we relate to Him in our secret closets. As we spend time with God in prayer, in the study of His Word, and as we receive revelations and instructions concerning our personal lives, and relationships, our ability to cultivate obedience at each point of instruction will help in the transformation and molding of our character to be in line with God’s will and purpose.

2. When we allow God to transform and mold our character and lives in our secret confinements, He gives us the Grace by His Spirit to begin to work out or demonstrate outwardly the revelations and patterns of His Divine nature that we have received for all to see. This will not only bring Glory to God but will add value to our lives, the lives of the people around us, and the society at large.

As Christ’s followers, we must strive to find our place in the intimacy of God’s Presence and allow Him to do a work of constant transformation in our lives.

Ebimobo W. Obasi

PLEASE PRAY ALONG:

A Prayer for God’s Transformation.

FATHER GOD, thank You for Your abundant forgiveness. I understand I’m not perfect and I need Your guidance. Lord, I want to work your purposes out in my life with fear and trembling, so please train and groom me at every point possible. Correct me when I’m wrong, teach me to do the right thing, and hold me accountable. In JESUS MIGHTY NAME AMEN.