TO FILL A LITTLE SPACE

Christians are supposed to know that in the world there are no finished products of the Christian faith. We are people in formation, persons under construction; Christ is still working in us. Yet, the good work He Himself began, He will bring to completion (Philippians 1:6). We  are God’s project and He cannot and will not fail!

However, while there is a major work which only God can do in and for us, there is also much which is expected of us to fulfill, with the resources He provides and in dependence upon His guidance. While our physical growth came naturally and gradually, until we reached the shape and height God had intended for us, other aspects of our development depend on much that we personally do, or refrain from doing, as we follow His prescriptions.

There needs to be in us a sense of dissatisfaction with our condition, if progress is to be made in any area of our life. Authors James Hinkle and Tim Woodroof rightfully suggest that “the biggest room in anybody’s life is the room for improvement.”When faced with any predicament in life, one needs to think of possible alternatives and, then, follow the routes dictated by those alternatives if and when that is the right course of action. Just remember the steps the prodigal son, of Jesus’parable, took when he came to his senses!

Sometimes people take refuge in calling attention to their own consistency. They justify the style they have adopted for doing things, or the manner they live, on their being consistent. But they fail to recognize that being consistent on any thing does not impede one to advance, to change for the better; one’s consistency may be improved upon, as one makes room for growth, and as one increases in understanding.

God desires for all His human creatures, and for His redeemed in particular, to ameliorate all areas of their being. Some may be growing socially while, unfortunately, neglecting the spiritual realm; another may be doing well financially, without showing advancement in the moral life.

Even the spiritual dimension may show signs of improvement in a person, without affecting any of the other areas of that individual’s being. Thus, balance is needed. The advancement God desires for His own is holistic in nature; He longs to see all areas of our lives improved so we may serve Him better and show ourselves to the watching world as maturing models of His continuing work in us.

Someone has suggested that God has a beauty parlor, where He is ever ready to shape and reshape us in every aspect of our life, according to His own purpose and for our everlasting good. But we cannot be selective about the areas we may wish to improve; God’s work in us is comprehensive, affecting every facet of our being. We need not be incomplete or crippled, nor even hungry when His unlimited resources remain at our disposal for continual advancement in all dimensions of life.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 18th, 2007 at 5:51 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.