You do your part, He's doing His.

"He who has begun..."

Philippians 1:6

I was working on fractions with my Amazing Boy today, and just loving that he's gotten so good at reducing them.  It used to be a bit of a sticky thing, because he'd forget that he had to simplify once he had done the addition or subtraction of the fraction.   Or if he did remember, he'd struggle with how to reduce it.   It's been hard to drum into his head that the problem is not done when he thinks it is.

Today's verse is about completion.  I have always loved this verse, which in its entirety reads:  "being confident of this very thing:  that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

It's a beautiful, faith-filled verse, and so encouraging.  I love how Paul says "being confident".  I like that it's a present-tense, ongoing verb.  Not just temporarily confident, but remaining so.   Are you confident  ~ as Paul was ~ in God as a promise-keeper?

Do you also know that God never leaves anything unfinished?  When God raised Joseph up to the position of a trusted and valued slave in Potiphar's household, it was a vast improvement over what Joseph's status had been when he was in the pit.  But God had not yet brought to a completion the good work He had begun in Joseph.

When Moses and the Israelites marched away from Egypt, complete with the spoils of their former masters, little did they know that behind them was Pharaoh and his army, and ahead of them was the Red Sea.  God had yet to complete the good work He had begun.

Even looking at his own life, Paul could see that the good work begun on the road to Damascus was not yet complete.

Believe this:  God has only begun with you.  As the saying goes, He loves you just the way you are, but He has no intention of leaving you that way!

But as encouraging as all that is, read further.  Read the ending of the verse:  "He will complete it in you until the day of Jesus Christ."  The work begun is not over until Jesus Christ comes again.  The work of Joseph, of Moses, of Paul, is not complete.  Their lives continue to teach, to illustrate, to inspire, to encourage.

Do you know what God is working on in you?  Are you aware He's doing something?  Maybe you're just living your day-to-day life, not walking through any tough times right now, but He's still at work.   And the work God has begun in you will not be complete even when He has seen you through this trial you are in, or when you have achieved this task He has set before you, or when you move on to a new chapter in your life.  Because the ultimate goal is not your completion, though He will be faithful to that.  The ultimate goal is His glory, and His reign over the earth.  Only then will the good work of God be complete.

"He who has begun a good work in you

will be faithful to complete it

until the day of Jesus Christ"

Philippians 1:6