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
God is the alpha and omega, the first and the last. He says so Himself in Revelation 22:13. When I look back on my life, I often remember God’s presence in the big moments. He is there at the start of every big project and the first shaky step of every new journey. He’s also there at every finish line, His comforting presence washing over me as I seal out every race and every ending chapter of my life. It’s easy to remember that God is at work in the big moments.
What I often forget, though, is that God is also a God of the in-betweens. He is continually perfecting us, constantly molding us into His image even when we don’t sense His presence at work. He is there in the mundane, in the Week 3s and the daily grinds and the regular old times when we don’t particularly feel the need to call on Him. And He is there in the darkest parts of our lives, in the Gardens of Gethsemane when we cry out to Him, even if we cannot sense that He is near.
And this, dear friends, is the concept of grace – that God’s work in us is independent of our works and abilities and whatever circumstances we are going through at the moment. No matter how great our sin, no matter how far we are running in the opposite direction of what God is calling us to do, God shows us through the stories of Saul and Jonah that His plan will remain unchanged and His will will be done. The author of Hebrews declares in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus Himself is the author and finisher (some translations say “perfecter”) of our faith. This means that no matter what path God has started you on, He will not only meet you at the finish line, but He will be with you every single step of the way – no matter how errant those steps may be. God does not just start you down the road of faith and then hang you out to dry – He suffers with you, perfects you, maintains you through every moment. He is the beginning, the end, and everything in between.
Is there anything more comforting, more powerful, more perfect than this?
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