“I thank my God every time I remember you… I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:3-6
Heavenly Father, Paul’s phrase “partnership in the gospel,” has grabbed my attention early in 2023. What a great way of describing good friendship, shared treasure, and life’s trajectory. How do good friends partner in the gospel? It starts with us treasuring Jesus above everything and everyone. After all, we’re gonna partner together in something—winning, gaining, getting, keeping… there are so many “partnerships” vying for our every waking moment. Only Jesus is worthy.
Then gospel-partnership/friendship involves a lifestyle of posing and pretending less with each other—living in grateful, daily dependence upon the riches of your grace. Being present, not impressive towards each other. Being honest, not giving an edited, filtered version of the state of our hearts. Embracing the necessity and freedom of repenting together—of really needing Jesus together, when it’d be easier to run, isolate, and medicate.
Father, most partnerships presuppose a “senior partner,” and that is you. You began the work of the gospel in us, and you will bring it to completion (Phil. 1:6). Hallelujah… we would despair if this wasn’t true. For surely, if we could lose our salvation we would. You don’t just “hold us fast”; you’ve hidden our lives in Jesus.
To partner with you is also to have our remaining days reframed, refocused, re-fueled, and released for the purposes of the gospel. Abba, Father, show us what you intend this to look like in 2023. So Very Amen, we ask and pray expectantly.