'He Who Began a Good Work in You' Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6

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. (ESV)

Today's Inspiring Thought: He Who Began a Good Work in You

Paul encouraged the Christians in Philippi with these confident words. He had no doubt whatsoever that God would finish the good work he had begun in their lives.

How does God complete his good work in us? We find the answer in Christ's words: "Abide in me." Jesus taught his disciple to remain in him: 

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5, ESV)

What does it mean to abide in Christ? Jesus instructed his disciples to stay connected to him. He is the source of our life, the true vine, from which we grow and develop into completion. Jesus is the fountain of living water from which our lives flow.

Abiding in Jesus Christ means connecting with him every morning, every evening, every moment of the day. We keep ourselves so interlinked with God’s life that others can't tell where we end and God begins. We spend time alone in God's presence and feast daily on his life-giving Word. We sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his voice. We give thanks and praise him continually. We worship him as often as we are able. We gather together with other members of the body of Christ. We serve him; we obey his commands, we love him. We follow him and make disciples. We give joyfully, serve others freely, and love all people.

When we are firmly connected to Jesus, abiding in the vine, he can make something beautiful and complete with our lives. He does a good work, creating us anew in Jesus Christ as we abide in his love. 

God's Work of Art

Did you know you are God’s work of art? He had plans in mind for you long ago, even before he made you:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Artists know that creating something beautiful — a true work of art — takes time. Each task requires an investment of the artist's creative self. Each work is unique, unlike any of his or her others. The artist starts with a rough sketch, a swatch, an outline. Then little by little as the artist works with his creation carefully, painstakingly, lovingly, in time a beautiful masterpiece emerges. 

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (Psalm 139:14, NLT)

Many artists tell stories of complex works of art that took years and years to complete. Likewise, it takes years of abiding and daily connecting with the Lord for God to complete the good work he began in you.

The Day of Jesus Christ

As believers, we are to be growing in the Christian life a little each day. This process is called sanctification. Spiritual growth continues in committed and connected believers until the day Jesus Christ returns to the earth. God’s redeeming and renewing work will reach its climax on that day. 

So, let me extend Paul's reassuring message of support to you today: God will fulfill — he will bring to completion — the good work he started in you. What a relief! It's not up to you. God is the One who started it, and he is the One who will complete it. Salvation is God's work, not yours. God is sovereign in his salvation initiative. His work is a good work, and it's a sure work. You can rest in your Creator's capable hands. 

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