1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:1-6
Paul and Timothy know how to start a letter! Love, respect, gratitude, and the assurance of prayer are first. A firm rooting in Christ for them and the addresses are stated and then a statement of faith that Paul and Timothy are sure that God has started this good work and will finish it at the right time.
I started talking about this concept a few weeks ago but had a short time to work it through and for the past couple of days, this scripture has been playing in my mind. I will take it as a hint and dig back in. I read verse six and I remember that He is totally in charge of the good work that He started in me! Why is it so hard to see where God’s work ends and mine begins?
Even just saying the word end alongside God is ridiculous. He doesn’t end. His qualities don’t end. He has no limits and there is no end to His mercy, grace, love, power, and holiness. Yet I have a hard time understanding what His job is and what my job is.
His job is to create, rule, and save the entire earth and He is doing a fantastic job at it. He had it planned long before creation and He didn’t miss any details. He chose Whitney to be His daughter because He is so very gracious and after saving and sanctifying me, He is working out the changes and growth in me bit by bit.
I show up, try again, obey, read my Bible, spend time with Him, worship Him, serve others, make friends with the men and women of Christ, and share Him with those who don’t know Him. I cast out demons, I heal the sick, and I am working on raising the dead and yet each time I succeed I must remember that it wasn’t me! I cannot convict hearts, I am not the glue in my friendships, and worship and prayer don’t mean anything without His presence. It’s not me who heals or makes the devil flee and I need His grace just to read the Bible on a regular basis and have the energy to try again when I fail. Even obedience doesn’t originate with Whitney. It’s Him. It’s always Him.
He started it and He will finish it.
Sometimes I think, “Finish it already, God!” When do I think that? Well, when do you think that? When we blow it, right? When we trip and fall on our face in private or in public, we all of a sudden can see how it’s all up to God and we wish we had the timeline. If we were God, we would have made us perfect by now.
Whether we have been walking with Christ for 1 year or 60 there’s more work to be done. I was working through the numbers with God, and we settled on a number. 7 years as a child and 8 years as an adult, which means that I have been walking with Him for 15 years. I thank God for all the things He has done to change me over those years. My family and friends thank Him too, but there is much to be done.
Just yesterday I had an awful morning. I had irritation and rage come over me out of nowhere in the morning and instead of getting on my face before God and asking for help, I blew it with my family. Then after repenting I took my teary-eyed self to church to drop off my daughter at VBS and got offended and complained that there were some details I didn’t know. Just one morning led to the need for many apologies and a dinner of crow.
The work just isn’t finished yet. I don’t know why, and I don’t hold the blueprints, but my failures are covered by the blood of Jesus and my successes are all because of Him. Our pastor once said that even the atoms of our body only hold together because God says so. I think about that all the time. I am His! Body, spirit, soul, and I will just have to wait. It will be at the right time, in the right order, for my good and His glory.
Just let me say this. I am not alone in this promise. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Let me say that better. I am convinced. I am sure of this. There is no doubt in my mind that God is the one who began this good work in you and He will be faithful to complete it at the day of Jesus Christ. What a day that will be!
It’s something to remember about the other Christians around us too. Those we are discipling or rooting for, and those we bump into or disagree with. Every single man, woman, or child who has given their life to Jesus has God’s handiwork all over them. We can criticize and hand out a list of rules to help them look godly or we can pray, encourage, and call out the amazing things that God is growing in them. We can remember them in our prayers and cheer them on as God takes them through the process that He has deemed necessary for them.
Whether you need to hear this for you, me, your nephew, or your grandmother who has already passed to Heaven, understand this. God is responsible for salvation, sanctification, and timing. He has made sure we all have everything we need in the right order at the right time. He doesn’t forget projects and He does not choose lightly. Praise be to God! He started it and He will finish it.
Our women’s retreat is just a few months away! Check out more info and register now!