“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” ~ Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

It was God who began the good work in you and I, and he is the one who will continue his work in our lives until it is finished. I often wish to get at the point in my life when I am a finished work, but the truth is, that will only happen when Christ returns. Until we are here on planet earth we’ll always be a work in progress.

“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” ~ Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” ~ Ephesians 2:10(NLT)

We are God’s masterpiece. Not just a piece, not just one of his many work, but his masterpiece. He put so much effort and price in us. A masterpiece is created over time and often the master would spend countless hours to finish his work. That’s true about our lives too; God spends so much time and never ever gives up on us to transform us, to be able to do the good things he prepared in advance for us.

What Does "Work in Progress" Mean?

Work In Progress – Work that has not been completed but has already incurred a capital investment from the company.

Investopedia explains Work in Progress - This is usually recorded as an asset on the balance sheet. Work in progress indicates any good that is not considered to be a final product, but must still be accounted for because funds have been invested toward its production.

Wikipedia explains Work In Progress – A work that has been started but not yet completed. This could be a project or creative work (e.g., book, song, film), or in manufacturing this can refer to inventory that has been worked on such that it is no longer viable as raw materials while not yet sellable as a finished product.

I love these descriptions, because it reflects so much on how I personally see our lives here on earth. We are not completed yet, but God invested a capital into our lives. We are not considered to be final, not until the final day when Christ Jesus returns, but must be accounted for. We are accountable for our lives, because funds have been invested towards this masterpiece production.

God said: “ I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as…” ~ Jeremiah 1:5(NLT) and the reason I put dots there is because God set apart and appointed Jeremiah as a prophet, but I am certain that the same God who knew and made Jeremiah, knew and made you and I and he set us apart before we were born for specific works.

Before God made us, he invested a really high capital investment, the biggest investment of all, his only son Jesus. Jesus’ life was invested for us, Jesus shed his blood for you and I, we are really precious to God. God invested his best, his only capital, his only son for you and me. We can not be vied as raw materials, because God already invested in us, he worked on us, before he made us. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.” ~ Psalm 139:13

“This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” ~ 1John 4:10 (NLT). When I understood the price God gave for me, I realized how valuable am I for God. Our enemy will do everything to tell us the opposite: that we are not worthy, that we messed it up, that it’s too late, we sinned too much, we are just ordinary, average, unworthy…does the enemy tell you these lies too? He did for many years to me and he still tries hard to make me believe his lies. But then I remember the Cross.

At the Cross I realize how precious I am to God, he loves me more than I can imagine, because he invested his best, the only one for me. I cost a lot to God, and he has a vested interest in me, to see his investment return with interest. God works on you and me, because we are his masterpiece.

You know that masterpieces worth priceless values. Just think about how much money people are willing to pay for masterpieces? When someone invests time, money and hard work to finish a masterpiece, that will bring a return for the investor for all those investments he invested over the years in that project.

As God works on you and me and as we are increasingly able to understand how deep, how wide, how high, how long his love for us is (Ephesians 3:18), we will allow God to transform us. When we become more like Jesus and we get a taste of his love, we will bring a return on God’s investment. Every soul saved is a return. Every lost person found is a return. Every hungry person fed is a return. The more we do the good things God prepared in advance for us ( Ephasians 2:10), the more we are willing to give ourselves to be an instrument in God’s hands, the more return will occur in heaven.

So my desire is to somehow let you understand in a deeper way how precious you are to God, and how much he invested in you, and how he is longing for you to transform you from glory to glory so that when you grasp that love you’ll be able to live a life for God’s glory.

Blessings,
Piri Darabont – Work In Progress
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