Digging Up Gold

How odd,

That the Apostle of grace,

The church planter who fumed,

At the prospect of the tiniest

Dab of legalism

Intruding the purity of the Good News,

Would say:

“Work out your own salvation.” (Phil. 2:12)

Be assured,

Paul has not contradicted

His epistles of pure grace.

This Greek word “work” evokes

The idea of a farmer working a field.

Perhaps a peasant to whom the king has given

A fertile plot and,

In profound gratitude,

And daily joy,

Works the field,

Hoeing, weeding, watering

Because it is a blessing to work

The gift to its fullest.

I bless you to work out your salvation,

The way a farmer works out the riches of his field,

Or the way a gold miner digs up treasures.

I bless you to work out all

The deepest benefits of the salvation

That Christ worked out for you!