There are few things I hate more when I’m driving than work zones. Hey man, how in the world am I supposed to make good time when I’m suddenly faced with a giant flashing arrow, a sign warning “Left Lane Closed Ahead” and a line of orange cones disappearing into the horizon? There IS one thing worse. No workers in the work zone. Few things get my undies in a bundle more than a construction zone on the highway when the crew has the day off. Hey, I’m not opposed to anybody getting a day off. But why am I merging into one lane when there’s not a single hard hat along the highway?
There’s one work zone that’s fully staffed 24-7-365. That’s the life of every follower of Jesus. Paul tells his friends back in Philippi that God never stops, never takes a break, never takes a day off when He’s working in our lives. There are no cones. No orange barrels. No Jersey barriers. But this is God’s work zone. It’s non-stop. He’s always up to something. Nothing is wasted. As a matter of fact, He even works to gives you and me the desire to and energy to please Him. Once Jesus comes to the rescue, your life is God’s work zone.
The apostle reassures his readers that it’s not up to each of us to save ourselves. We may have gotten just a wee bit worried that it was up to us after reading the previous verse. We’re told to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). I don’t know about you, but I would be shaking in my boots if God left it up to me to earn my way into heaven. It would not end well. Instead, Paul tells us to explore what it means to be on the receiving end of God’s grace. If salvation were a car, we wouldn’t really enjoy our new ride until we took it out on the road to see what it will do. We work out our faith by exercising our faith muscle through obedience. It’s only when we do what Jesus commands that we truly experience the abundant life He has for us.
One verse later, the man from Tarsus reassures us “it is God who works in you” (v13). We’ve already read what God starts in us, He will finish (Phil 1:6). God’s the ultimate closer. He’ll wrap things up every single time. Just as sure as He’s always closing is that He’s always working. Paul uses the Greek verb energeo, which means to be powerfully effective, be active, produce, cause, or be in action. It focuses on the energy, power, or force involved. God doesn’t just punch the clock. He simply mail it in when He’s on the job. He works and works HARD. He gives it His full supernatural attention. The verb form of energeo is in the present tense. You can easily read this as “God who is currently working in you right here, right now.” His work isn’t a one-time event. He’s not a short-term contractor. He’s doesn’t just punch the clock 9 to 5. If you’re a follower of Jesus, our Savior has His supernatural sleeves rolled up at this very moment. “It is God who works in you” (v13). And He’s working while you read this.
All throughout the Bible, we read how our God isn’t afraid to get His hands dirty. He pulls the first full six-day work week in the history of the universe and then takes Saturday off (Gen 1:3-2:3). Paul tells the folks over in Corinth, “There are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone” (1Cor 12:6). The writer of Hebrews prays that God would “equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb 13:21). And the apostle says he wouldn’t be where he is without heaven’s descending one-way love. “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain” (1Cor 15:10). All awesome examples of our God at work.
There’s interesting aspect of God’s work is His impact on our desire to do what He wants. He’s plugging away “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (v13). The translators of the NLT do an awesome job of getting this idea across. It’s God who’s “giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him” (v13 NLT). He does simply just leave you and me swinging in the breeze after coming to our rescue. Who would blame Jesus for kicking back and waiting for us to get off our tails to obey Him? Hey, He did go out of His way to leave paradise, live the perfectly obedient life we failed to live, died a bloody death on the cross we should have died, and rose to a glorious new life we don’t deserve. That sure sounds like a full career to me. But He doesn’t stop there. He works overtime to give us the want-to.
But wait, there’s more! Kinda like one of those cheesy Ginsu knife commercials where they throw in the Bamboo Steamer. God doesn’t stop there. He stokes us with the power to also do what He tells us. This is where His Holy Spirit does what He does best. The Third Person of the Trinity is the power behind Christ’s resurrection (Rom 8:11). Jesus tells His followers not to make move until the Spirit powers them up for the mission of spreading His Gospel (Acts 1:8). God’s Spirit is a total game changer. Once the Spirit falls, the Good News washes across the Mediterranean like a supernatural tsunami. Imagine what the kind of power the Holy Spirit gives you and me.
So what in the wide world of sports do we do with all this? First, we’re God’s work zone. He saves us and keeps on saving us. Second, remember God is always up to something in your life. It doesn’t always feel like it but He is. Third, the Lord is working away in each and every one of His followers. I have to admit there are a few believers I find it difficult to believe. And I’m sure there are a lot of folks who look at me and scratch their heads too. Anywho, He’s doing His thing no matter what we see. Fourth, His Spirit gives each of us the desire and the ability to do what God wants. Do you have any desire to obey Jesus’ commands? Well, you can thank Him for that. He also gives you the ability to actually obey. That’s because once Jesus comes to the rescue, your life is God’s work zone.
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