He's always working

Fast food outlets, superfast broadband, self-service checkouts, credit cards. Do we have to wait for anything anymore? Sometimes, when we're so used to getting things quickly, it's a shock when God expects us to wait for something. The Bible shows us that impatience and independence aren't just signs of our culture; they're a sign of parts of our nature that we haven't yet given to God.

Look at Abraham and Sarah (see Genesis 16): despite God's promise that she would have a child, Sarah focused on circumstances and took things into her own hands to provide Abraham with a son. God still fulfilled his promise, giving her Isaac, but that meant Abraham then had two sons and a lot of trouble on his hands. What if Sarah had remembered that God's promise would be fulfilled by his actions and in his timing? Now, we're not saying it's easy. But when we're overwhelmed by responsibilities or by waiting for God's intervention, it's a relief to know that the work doesn't have to be ours. It's God's and he'll work through us to finish it.

Of course, God won't move our hands and feet without any effort from us, but our efforts are only worth it if he's been invited into them. He's actually been at work in us our whole lives, whether we've known it or not.



So what now? Got a project or task that you've not yet finished? Put aside time today to make more progress. And remember: '[God] who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion' (Philippians 1:6 NIV).





— SCRIPTURE —

'He who began a good work...will carry it on to completion.' Philippians 1:6 NIV
— SOULFOOD —

2 Chr 5-7, Mark 5:11-20, Ps 119:41-48, Pro 21:1-3