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That He Who Began A Good Work In you Will Bring It To Completion; Unfinished |Worship #3|


Insecurities, oh vain insecurities. That little voice that tells me otherwise. A creeping darkness overshadowing my thoughts.


"You're not enough" "Why are you wasting so much time?" "How are you going to survive?" "Money is tough now" "You're this old, what have you achieved?"


Ahh... yes. These overbearing thoughts that have struck my heart so. Fears unrelenting. And seemingly bolstering out off nowhere. In that tough time, I knew off the creeping dangers that loomed. This was the perfect opportunity for the evil one to attack. The funny thing is that our greatest temptations arises from these vulnerable moments... I quickly prayed and started walking outside.


Lord, please help this deceitful heart, so desperately sick, who can understand it? (a nod to Jeremiah) Please be with me and empower me once more...


In that time, I remembered listening to the song:

"Unfinished"

by Mandisa

I love how the song lyrics start with:

And I started with having doubts

And it got me so down


A Christian life has a lot of downs too. Doubts arises when what we hoped and planned changes. Leaving us in a state off confusion and disarray:

For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water. For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.” Job 3:24-26 😵

Job is a good example off a troubled life. When he faced scrutinizing sufferings, Job reacted with sighing, groaning. At his unease, he couldn't find rest. His life loomed with fear, and dread. Similarly, these dark thoughts from time to time comes up with my own experience. In that fight-or-flight moment I needed to face it or avoid it. Yet what's great about it now is that Christ is with me helping me. In those tough moments we are to put on the The Whole Armor of God, equipping ourselves with the shield of faith, the sword of the word of God, and praying at all times in the Spirit. Just like the lyrics resonated:


But I picked myself back up

And I started telling me

No, my God's not done

Making me a masterpiece

He's still working on me


To remind myself again. Get back up. Come on, let's go again. It's tough. It hurts. People are so stupidly volatile. Sigh... But remember. My God is now with me. Oh Lord, please uphold me once more. You are in the process of molding me. Currently in progress...


I know His history

And the kind of God He is

He might make it a mystery

But He's proving I can trust in Him


When I am in doubt, I try to remind myself off God's promises in the past. How He is a God that is consistent. Sovereign and just. Punishing those who deserve judgment. Yet concurrently a God so great for mercy and grace for His people:

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. Deuteronomy 7:9-10 ⚖️

What I love about God is that how consistent He is. Not only in the Bible does He fulfill all His promises, He never lets evil go unpunished. Albeit short or a long time, He is faithful. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Despite unfaithful Israel. Despite even me being an unfaithful Christian most off the time, God is faithful. He always is, despite off our wantonness at times. But that doesn't mean we should play around or undermine His precious grace! But to understand that if God has given His grace back then, He will surely fulfill it. As the lyrics highlights:


He started something good and I'm gonna believe it

He started something good and He's gonna complete it

So I'll celebrate the truth

His work in me ain't through

I'm just unfinished


His covenant promise is fulfilling the great work in us as His children. Before we return to Him, we are being molded day by day:

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 🏺

He is our potter and we are His clay. To mold clay is not something instantaneous, it takes time. At least for me, sometimes I become impatient and disappointed. Why is it taking so long? Why can't I be like _____ so and so? It's hard if we look at things from instantaneous rates. Just like in Physics, to know the instant speed is not a good representation. But to find the velocity or the average speed over a period of time is more precise to know the bigger story.

Similarly, the Lord is creating a great work that we can't see yet. The fundamental question isn't "disappointment" but it's about not trusting in Him and His promises unfortunately... Sometimes in my life I believe in predestination that God quote unquote "controls" my life. Yet the paradox off it all is that He also gives me "free will". A truly loving God is not a God that controls, because that in itself contradicts His nature. But actually God accentuates the heart's motives that was innately there:

“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:10 ❤️🖤

Seemingly so, our hearts are double-minded and full of contradictions. Where the heart produces the most evil of thoughts. Is contrasted by a holiness that also hidden beneath. Yet what I learned recently is that we need to ask God for this. We need to make a conscious decision—to believe and hope:

Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! Psalm 119:116 🕊️

The author of Psalm 119 highlights this well. To rely on God's promise to uphold. To give support. To elevate our weary and downtrodden soul. It's the only concrete thing we have. So that we may live once-more. And to finally place our hope in Him...

 

Reflection

Dear Lord, thank You for Your covenantal promise. In molding me as Your clay as the work of Your hand. Lord, it's funny how I first got inspired by this song from September 11, 2019. Nearly two years ago. And yet just at the right moment in my dark moment You reminded me. Thank You Jesus for upholding me once more. Just as You are always faithful towards Israel in the Bible and in my life now...

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. Philippians 1:6 ☑️

I can't wait until I return to Heaven Lord and see You. I can't wait to see all my family and friends who have gone ahead. I can't wait in hope to see Christ returning and concluding Your covenantal promise. I can't wait to an eternity where we can honor and worship You. In Your mercy, I now know. And choose to have faith to believe. That He started something good and He's going to complete it! 😊😌😭… In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.




Updated on:

February 26, 2021


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