July 26, 2017

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 New American Standard

There is only one Person who knows what your life looks like perfectly. It looks like Him because He is the “perfecter” of your faith. He’s finishing in you who He already is. What an incredible God that tells you upfront what your finished life looks like. He could have dangled the “finish” as a prize for great self effort or perfect performance. But He didn’t. Like the cross, Jesus is always out in front of your life. He found you before you were even interested. He loved you when you wanted anything but His love. He died for you even while you clenched your fist and said you didn’t need His help. It doesn’t matter  to God how much time it takes. Everything about your life is part of His story in you. It gets folded in and shaped in a way that can only be explained as Jesus. Your grip on this world will begin to loosen. You’ll begin to discover a strength you never thought possible. You realize that all of your desires have begun moving in the same direction. It happens so slowly that by the time you realize it .. you can’t believe it happened so fast. Your life in Christ has a fixed point. You don’t have to know the details .. you only have to trust in the author. There’s plenty for you to do along the way. You’re no longer looking inward. You’re looking outward where Christ is at work and you find yourself drawn to it. The horrors of what Jesus faced on your behalf has been replaced with the inexpressible joy of the good work He is doing … in you. Time to go to work. It only takes a moment …

“looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 New American Standard

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent to Master-pieces of grace following Jesus (kchesterp1@gmail.com)