Day 31 — Under Construction
Philippians 1: 3-6
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 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.
A month before lockdown, we began a building project on our home. Now with building projects you are always aware there will be setbacks, things not as planned, bumps in the road – but it had never crossed our minds that overnight the builders would just stop turning up! Of course they were doing the right thing in following the government’s advice, but with brickwork half done, bags of sand split all over the drive and a general sense of chaos and disorder left behind, my wife Holly and I have been asking the question: When will it all be finished?
The book of Philippians is often described as Paul’s ‘joy’ letter, to a Church and to friends who he loved, and who were a great source of encouragement to him. In verse 6 Paul declares his confidence that Jesus who had started something in their hearts would continue to move, work and shape them until he comes again.
When I said ‘yes’ to Jesus for the first time over 15 years ago, God started a project in me of becoming more like Jesus. Looking back I often wonder whether I should be further down the line of faith than I am? I expect many of us have asked ourselves that question. Yet we can be encouraged that, even though we’re still under-construction, God doesn’t say, ‘Not yet… you’ve not met the grade, you’re not complete enough’. Instead he welcomes us with open arms, even with all our faults and failings and says, ‘I love you’.
God who starts a project will always finish. One day we will meet Jesus face to face and be complete but until then let us thank God for his grace, his continuing work within us, and let us strive to be more like him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, continue to work within me. Shape me and mould me to be more like you. Amen.
James Leavy
Leadership Team