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And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
History is strewn with unfinished projects. Dreams people have had that were never accomplished. Books that were started and never finished. Songs no one has heard. Inventions that have never seen a store shelf. Relationships that have never experienced the joy of togetherness.
There are many reasons for people failing to accomplish their dreams. Some ran out of time or money. Others experienced life changes that kept them from achieving their goal. Some just lost interest when the project didn’t take shape the way they’d hoped it would. There are also those that failed because of a failure to plan.
The Apostle Paul tells us we are each an unfinished project. But we are not likely to be cast aside any time soon! Before time itself we were a project in God’s eye. Psalm 139 says that each of our days was carefully planned out with every detail in place.
When God starts a project He has the ability to complete it, the desire to see it succeed and the passion to do it well. He is well aware of our shortcomings and the momentary setbacks. He understands how our feelings and the circumstances of our lives can keep us from staying on course. That doesn’t deter Him from continuing to work in our lives. He is never discouraged or disappointed in what He sees. Nothing we do surprises Him.
Every day of our lives is a step closer to becoming all God has planned for us. He will not abandon you. He will not tire of your shortcomings or lose interest in you and go on to some other, more promising project. You are His number one. You are His masterpiece.
Be patient though. Masterpieces take time. There will be set backs along the way and things won’t go as you’d like. In the midst of the struggle don’t forget who you are, a child of the King. Remember that you aren’t doing the work. God is working in you and through you to make you the finished product.
PRAYER: Dear Father. Thank you for the work you are doing I my life today. I don’t understand all the things that are happening right now. I’m trying so hard to change things in my life and they aren’t working. I praise you for that fact that you have all things in control and that you can use everything that happens in my life for good. Help me to live as the masterpiece I am. Amen.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Ephesians 6:14
The Roman soldiers were in constant danger and the threat of attack. This was especially so in Israel since the Jews hated the Roman occupation. The Roman soldier wore a girdle, breast-plate, shoes with iron nails, a helmet to protect his head, and carried a great shield on his left arm which was thrown in front of his body. His weapon was the sword. It was with the sword, not the spear as other nations, that the Romans conquered the world.
But holding it all together was the girdle, or belt. Without the belt, the soldier’s armor was dangerously flawed at best and completely useless at the worst.
As Christ followers we are given a belt as well. It is the belt of Truth and its purpose is to be the basis for all we do and all we are. It is Truth that guides our actions, filters our thoughts and attitudes and inspires us to press on. The Truth we function on is absolute Truth, Truth with a capital T. Truth that cannot be changed, altered or destroyed.
Here are some of the components of the Truth we as Christ-followers stand on:
- There is one God who is creator and sustainer of the Universe and who by His own design has made man and woman so that He can be in a perfect, eternal relationship with us.
- Jesus Christ is the only way to find God. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He died as an innocent man for those of us who could never hope to be innocent and rose from the dead so that we could have life eternal.
- Because I have asked forgiveness of my sins and have asked Jesus to take permanent residence in my life I can approach the very throne of God and address Him as my daddy.
- I know that I am a child of the living God, with special talents and abilities and personality traits that are special to me and make me His unique creation. I am His masterpiece, His Plan A, His most cherished of all possessions.
- I am forgiven, not perfect. My daddy has never expected me to be perfect. He is not surprised by my failures and rejoices in my victories. He’s been at every ball game I’ve played in, every performance I’ve been a part of and every test I’ve taken.
- He is the first one to rise and applaud for me. Whenever He sees me He gives me a standing ovation. He loves me.
- He is my constant source of support, encouragement, protection and understanding.
- Some day whether at death or at His promised return He will greet me face to face with open arms and welcome me home as a long, lost son and say “Nice Job! You were everything I hoped you would be.” Those words will not be due to my performance and ability to ‘live right’ but because of my reliance on Him.
It is on these truths that I stand. I am not perfect. I am weak and stubborn and selfish and sometimes just plain ornery. He knows that and loves me anyway. And THAT is why I love Jesus.
PRAYER: Daddy. I love you. Thank you for always being there for me. Thanks for hanging my picture on your refrigerator and keeping all those silly trophies I worked so hard to win. I know realize that the real trophy in my life is and always will be you. Forgive me for being distracted and rebellious. Help me to follow your Truth and not the fickle truth of the world. In the name of your Son Jesus I pray. Amen.
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3
Nothing is harder than to love someone who is either unable to, or refuses to return your love. Extending love is personal. It’s intimate. It makes you vulnerable. You put yourself on the line and if you are accepted and that love is returned you feel fulfilled, happy, complete.
But when love is not returned, it’s like doing open heart surgery with a dull knife and no anesthesia. You lay your heart before the one you want to love you and if that person rejects your love he/she is rejecting you. You become like a warrior who loses his sword and shield just as the enemy attacks. There is no warning. There is no defense. There is no hope.
It’s that one aspect that makes God’s love for us so amazing. When we are rejected in our attempts at love our human nature is to withdraw ourselves. Depending on the situation, our withdrawal could be permanent. We evaluate the situation and decide that this love really wasn’t love at all and move on to find a new love.
On the other hand, if we are so dependent on that person that we MUST love them we may do anything to keep that love. Even if staying in that relationship means abuse, unhappiness or danger (even to the point of death). Our very being, our essence depends on our having this relationship. We stay in the ‘relationship’ but lose who we are in the process.
God’s love, on the other hand, says this: “I love you. I will always love you. No matter how many times you pull away from me. No matter how often you scream at me in anger and abuse my name and ignore my advances, I love you.”
He draws me to Himself. During those times of my anger He sits quietly, patiently. Knowing me so well that He knows exactly the time to come to me, when I can no longer do life alone.
One reason our Father is able to love this way is because our rejection of Him has no bearing on who He is; on His power to heal; or on His willingness and passionate desire to draw near to us. He is God. He is our Loving Heavenly Father and He pleads with you to come and rest in His arms and call Him ‘Daddy’. Passionate desire! How awesome is that! He’s not a shy lover waiting in the shadows for you to notice Him. He’s a passionate lover who pursues you, who makes every opportunity to show you His love.
With such a God as this what shall keep me from living life to the fullest? I am loved! Unconditionally, completely, eternally loved in spite of my stubborn will and my constant struggle to follow His ways.
With such love as this within me, how can I learn to love others in the same way that I am loved? How will the love of Jesus shine forth in new and passionate ways to those who have been shattered by forsaken love?
PRAYER: My Lord and my God. I am once again taken back in awe by Your great love for me. I ask once more that you would forgive me for ignoring your love. I’m stubborn and selfish and seek only my own pleasure when I should seek to give you glory. Help me to let your love shine through me so that I can be secure in whom I am and show Christ’s love in passionate ways to those in my world. Amen.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
All the farm animals were sitting around one day deciding how they could honor the farmer who took such good care of them. The Cow gladly offered some milk. The chicken jumped in to offer the eggs. All eyes turned to the pig sitting quietly in the corner. “You know, said the cow, some ham would go mighty nice with those eggs and milk.” The pig thought a moment and then said, “Yes, but you don’t realize that each of your gifts are but a part of you. For me to give, I would have to give my entire life.”
The old story reminds us that we are more likely to take an interest in things when they cost us. It’s easy to say we believe in God and Jesus when we are in a safe crowd. It’s easy to look godly on Sunday morning and angelic when we sing praise and worship songs.
It’s difficult to make the right choices when the pressure is on to have to sacrifice everything to go along with the crowd. It’s almost impossible to be willing to risk your own life or the life of your children for someone else or a cause.
The Bible is the story of God’s desire to show love to mankind. His desire is and always has been to give life to His most cherished creation. That’s why He gave all He could possibly give to provide you with a relationship of love with Him now and a promise of eternal life after we leave this world.
Because He loves you so much, He watched His innocent son die among thieves for the sin of guilty criminals. Because He loves you so much, He allows you to refer to Him as ‘Daddy’ He welcomes you into His arms as though you (a mere mortal) were His very own son. Because He loves you so much He is honored to accept you into His very presence, into the throne room of Heaven. Because He loves you so much, He is willing to give you His own power through His Holy Spirit.
Is it any wonder then, that we can rest in His protection. If we draw near to Him and trust us with our lives we don’t need to worry about the enemies that surround us. Nothing can separate us from Him. Nothing can attack us without His permission. Even when we rebel against Him, He beckons us to come to Him for healing.
If God is for me, then no seen or unseen enemy will win over me! I am His and He is mine. Forever.
PRAYER: Father, I confess to you that most times the struggles I endure and the fears I face are consequences of my own poor decisions and my stubborn rebellion to follow your ways. Thank you for giving up so much of yourself for me when you knew I would fail you and others around me. Forgive me for my rebellious spirit. Help me to learn to walk with you through the struggles of life whether they are my own creation or the work of the enemy. Empower me now to live with the resolve to follow your ways and be guided by Your Holy Spirit. Give me courage to do what is right regardless of the fall out. Amen.
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8
“The apple of my eye” is a phrase that expresses the deepest of all affections. When someone is the ‘apple of our eye’ it means that they are the center of our existence and attention. All of our energies, all of our thoughts, all of our concern go towards the object of our love, the ‘apple of our eye’.
What a glorious picture David paints of our Heavenly Father’s view of us. We are the ‘apple of His eye!’ Imagine that! The Creator of the universe looks down from heaven and sees you. Not as a number in a crowd or as the person in the red shirt. He sees you. He sees your feelings, your fears, your struggles with failure and defeat. He sees how life is attacking you. His attention is focused directly on doing whatever He can to protect you, to provide for you and to help you through the darkest of times.
Sometimes it’s hard for us to feel the love that God has for us. Our view of Him and His loving concern is clouded by many things in our lives. It may be the personal attacks leveled by our enemies. It may be finances, ill health, the inability to build meaningful relationships or poor choices on our part. The Bible says that NOTHING will separate us from God’s love, yet we feel separated when the struggles of life get in the way.
David knew something that each of us need to learn and live. He knew that no matter what happens in life, he was the main focus of God’s love, affection and protection. Even during those times when David sinned he knew that God’s love for him wasn’t less. Sin doesn’t keep God from loving us. Sin keeps us from sensing God’s love.
The same is true for every other obstacle in our lives. The promise of Psalms 17:8 is always true. We are always the focus of God’s love and affection. We can always count on Him welcoming us to the protection found beneath His wings. We can never stray from the shadow of His watchful, loving, compassionate eyes. My failures do not diminish God’s love for me.
Your Heavenly Father earnestly desires to hold you in His arms of love. He wants to wrap His arms around you, hold you close and whisper words of comfort and love in your ears. Don’t let the obstacles of your life keep you from experiencing the love of Your Heavenly Father.
PRAYER: Dear Father. I confess to you that I can’t fully comprehend that it means to be the ‘apple of Your eye.’ To realize that You, the God of the Universe, would love someone as weak and stubborn as I am is more than my mind can comprehend. Reveal to me the obstacles in my life that are keeping me from experiencing your love. Empower me, through Your Holy Spirit, to live in the shadow of your wings of protection. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 