I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Philippians 1:3-5
Faithfulness is a word that describes the Philippians well. Paul is very thankful for their faithfulness. So much so that he thanks God for them every time he remembers them. That is pretty incredibly thankful!
This quality is needed just as much today amongst God’s people as it was needed back then. Paul often mentions people by name who for various reasons have fallen from the faith. How many people do we know who at one time were following God, only to have walked away. The reasons are many and we could all fill in the blank for the different people in our lives.
Maybe that person is us. Life is full of land mines and if we aren’t careful and alert we are just as liable to be injured, if not destroyed, by one. One of Satan’s greatest tactics is to lull/entice us with sin so that, like the proverbial frog in water, we aren’t aware that we are in danger until it is too late and we’ve fallen or walked away.
Jesus says that if we love him we will keep his commandments (John 14:15). Obedience, even in the smallest, seemingly unimportant areas of our lives is so, so important. Can I say that again? Obedience, even in the smallest seemingly unimportant areas of our lives is so, so important. This is where the war for our souls and the souls around us are won. It’s byproduct is faithfulness.
Like Paul and the Philippians before us let us run and finish our race well. Let’s not be like the unfortunate people whom Paul mentions in scripture drifting from the faith, the gospel that saves. If we have drifted, it is never to late to run back into the arms of our incredibly merciful and forgiving Father who is full of love and ready to lavish it on any of his lost sons and daughters. My prayer for us is that we would be a people known for our faithfulness now and throughout our entire lives.
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