A Work in Progress

You may read this and previous devotions on my blog at come2lifechurch.blogspot.com.

Many years ago Bill Gaither wrote a song that was popular among all, but seemed to feature children often in its presentation. It was just cute to hear children sing “He Still Workin’ on Me.” The song asked for patience while God finished His work in our lives. It was cute for kids but important for all of us to realize that no matter how long we have been, as they used to say, “in the way, He’s still working on us. I saw a bumper sticker a while back that said, “Be patient with me. God’s not finished with me yet.”

1 Corinthians 1:8 (NCV) Jesus will keep you strong until the end so that there will be no wrong in you on the day our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Philippians 1:6 (NCV) God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.

Two things jump out at me from those Scriptures. What kind of work is He doing? “A good work.” Not just any work... a good work. Paul said in Ephesians that God has prepared in advance “good works” for us to do, and He is doing a “good work” in us.

The second thing is when will it be finished? “When Christ comes again.”

I was talking with one of my board members at our meeting last night. They have just returned from a vacation trip to South Dakota. He was telling us about Mount Rushmore and how magnificent it is. Then he talked about the carving of Crazy Horse, a famous Indian. The entire Mount Rushmore carving of four presidents could fit on the face of the Crazy Horse work. It is still a work in progress. They just recently revealed the first fifty years of work and are working on the next fifty years. It has taken more than fifty years just to form the head. The family is committed to finish the work no matter how long it takes.

God is committed to finish His work in us, but don’t get discouraged if you still see flaws and unfinished parts. We live in a day of fast food, quick fixes, extreme makeovers where houses are removed and new ones erected in seven days, but this makeover of our lives takes a lifetime.

1 John 3:2 (NCV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and we have not yet been shown what we will be in the future. But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him, because we will see him as he really is.

So be patient with me, and I’ll be patient with you, and we will all trust in Jesus who will make us perfect when He comes again. What a day! It will be sooner than we think. Next month ( the last four Sundays in July) I will be teaching on prophetic themes reminding us that this is the shortest life we will ever live. There is another one coming and if we die in Christ or leave in the Rapture it will be a perfect one.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your commitment to work on me and for Your patience with me in the process. I know I haven’t always been the most cooperative subject, but help me to be more submitted to Your design for my life. Make me a blessing in the process as well. I am not just a lifeless statue, but a living work. I want my living to be for You and to please You. AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger