Today’s devotion is based on Philippians 1:1-11: Joy in the Journey: Week 1 (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
When are you going to be done?
Do you have a home project that has taken years to get to and remains unfinished? Has your spouse ever said, “Are you ever going to finish that?”
Perhaps a confident “Yes” is waning to “Hmm, I’m not sure when.”
In San Jose, CA there is a home that was built by Sarah Winchester over the span of 36 years. As heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune, she spent over $5 million (over $70 million in today’s dollars) to continually add on to a 8 room farmhouse to now an eccentric mansion that has over 160 rooms. The building continued until her death in 1922. The exact reason when she kept building is not exactly known, but seems to be centered on superstition that if she stopped, she would die. (Curious? Here’s link: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/history/)
The Winchester Mystery house is an anomaly in the history of California, but Paul alludes to a building project that is continuing in each believer. It’s not adding rooms to a physical structure, but adding room and capacity for the Spirit of God and the fruit he produces in the hearts of people.
What is parallel, is that this work will continue until the day we die or see Jesus face to face at his second coming.
So what is he building in you?
He’s building a deeper love for his grace.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
He’s building the fruit of the Spirit to produce a harvest of blessing for the kingdom.
2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He’s building a stronger hope through challenge and hardship.
Romans 5:3-4 Not only so, but we[b] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
At times we wish God were done building in us. But there is also a comfort to know that God cares enough about you today to work in you today, to work on you today, to develop you for the good work he has you doing or planning for you today. Remember today you are God’s workmanship and he is working in you, on you and through you.
And he will continue until you are in the perfection of heaven!
Apply: How are you seeing/sensing God working on you today? Is there an aspect of faith? Character? Habits? Mindset? Etc. that he is molding and working on you?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for not giving up on me, but continuing to work on me! AMEN