THE SEED
“Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you” Philippians 2:12-13
If we focus too much on God’s activity, we can become complacent and think spiritual growth is his responsibility. But if we focus too much on our own work, we can begin to think (proudly) that we’re doing it all ourselves, or we can think (despairingly) that no fruit we produce will ever meet God’s approval. The fruit of the Spirit is both a gift and a task. Abiding in Christ is initiated by God’s grace, but we grow in that relationship as we work out what God has worked in us. I am reminded of a prayer of St. Augustine, who saw that the only reason we can grow in obedience is because God supplies the strength we need to obey him. Like Augustine, we must acknowledge how desperately we need God’s grace and how willingly God gives it. As God works faithfully in us, we need to be committed to working wholeheartedly with him in all the areas of our lives.
BIBLE READING: PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for providing everything I need to be a fruitful Christian. Help me, in total reliance on your grace, to devote all my energy to growing closer to you. Amen.
A NṢIṢẸ LÓRÍ OHÙN TÍ OLUWA TI ṢE
IRUGBIN NAA
“Ẹ́ máa ṣiṣẹ igbala yín yọri pẹlu ìbẹrù àti iwarìri.” Philippians 2:12-13
Ti a bá fojú sí ohun tí Ọlọ́run ngbe ṣe púpọ púpọ, yíó jẹ́ ìdùnnú wa, a o sí máà ro pe idagbasoke ti, Ẹ̀mí jẹ ojúṣe Rẹ. Ṣùgbọ́n bí a bá pa ọkàn pọ̀ sórí ati ṣe iṣẹ́ wa, a lè bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí ni ironú bí (agbéraga) pé a ń ṣe gbogbo rẹ̀ fún ara wa, tàbí a lè ronú lọ́nà àìnírètí pé kò sí èso kankan tí yóò rí ojú rere Ọlọ́run láé. Eso ti ẹmi jẹ ẹbun ati iṣẹ ṣiṣe kan. Gbigbe ninu Kristi, ti wa ni ipilẹṣẹ nipa ore-ọfẹ Ọlọrun; ṣùgbọ́n a nda gba nípa ibaṣepọ, bi a ti ṣẹ ngbe abajade ohun ti Ọlọrun ti ṣiṣẹ le lórí ninu wa. A rán mi létí àdúrà eniyan mimọ ti a npe ní Augustine, ẹni tí ó rí i pé ìdí kan ṣoṣo tí a fi lè dàgbà nínú ìgbọràn ni pé, Ọlọrun ń pèsè agbára tí a ní lò láti jẹ̀ olu gbọràn sí i. Gẹ́gẹ́ bi Augustine eniyan mimọ, a gbọdọ mọ rírí bi a ṣe nilo oore-ọfẹ Ọlọrun tó, ati bi Ọlọrun ti ṣe fi tinutinu funni. Bí Ọlọ́run ti ń fi otitọ ṣiṣẹ́ ní nínú wa, a ní láti fi gbogbo ọkàn wa ṣiṣẹ́ pẹ̀lú Rẹ̀ ní gbogbo ọnà ìgbésí ayé wa.
BIBELI KIKA: Filipi 2:12-13
ADURA: Oluwa mi, Ẹ ṣeun fun pipese ohun gbogbo ti mo nilo lati jẹ Onigbagbọ ododo. Ran mi lọwọ, lapapọ lori oore-ọfẹ rẹ, lati fi gbogbo agbara mi si lati dagba nípa si sún mọ ọdọ rẹ. Amin.