Working Joyfully and Waiting Eagerly

Ephesians 2:8, 9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Philippians 3:20, 21 - "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Philippians 2:12, 13 - "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in your, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

Philippians 3:14 - "I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

It's happened to you.  Jesus has grabbed your heart.  Maybe it was a week ago.  Maybe it was half a century ago, but we play no part in our salvation.  We were dead in our sins and dead people can't do anything.  God saved us, doing it all.  Faith is His gift to us.  He brings life to us.  When our eyes are opened, and our hearts are melted by Jesus, we've already been raised.  Our salvation begins 100% with God's work and ends 100% with God's work.  Jesus will transform our bodies into His glorious resurrection body.  Our beginning and end is locked up, not in what we've done, but in who Jesus is.  Right now we are in the middle process.  We've been saved but we still sin.  The process we are going through, growing in Christlikeness, is called sanctification.  It means we work and we strain to become more like Christ - to bring glory to God.  We play a part in this middle process.  A big part.  It takes effort.  Great effort.  We work hard.  We press on.  We strain.  It takes discipline.  It's not easy, but oh is it rewarding.  Keep going, child of God.  Keep working.  Keep straining.  Keep pressing on while eagerly waiting for the return of Christ.  There is more joy and overwhelming peace in a growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ, than anything this world has to offer.  Jesus is at the finish line.  He is waiting eagerly and joyfully there for you, just as you are working joyfully and waiting eagerly for Him.