He Who Began a Good Work
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a god work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil.1:6).
We begin the Christian life by coming to God and letting Him do for us what we cannot do. We continue to grow in the Christian life by coming to God and letting Him do for us what we cannot do. That is God's grace as work in us. And even more amazing, is that He loves to do this work in us!
When I hear of a good friend who has received a clean bill of health after battling a terrible disease, my heart leaps for joy. When I hear of how God has put someone's life back together after years of heartache and struggle, I often weep for joy. I understand why Paul said, "I thank my God in all my remembrances of you because of what God is doing among you" (1:3).
If I can feel joy when I see good triumph over evil or death, how much more must God rejoice when His children find life! When we surrender to His love, when we are healed of old wounds, when we love well, when we engage with Him, when we forgive, when we rest in Him, when we turn from lust, when we bring Him to mind, when we dwell with Him, when we let His love shine on us like a beautiful sunrise …. it brings tremendous joy to His heart.
It makes me want to become more and more a work of God, for two very good reasons: (1) I am made more whole, and so I am more joyful; (2) God can rejoice over me with love because He has made me more whole. I love this God!