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!