Day 8 - Melinda Sherrard, 12th Grade

Melinda Sherrard - 12th Grade

 Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God says in Romans 8:38-39 that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. When we have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as our Savior, we can be secure in the peace of knowing that we are God’s children and we can “never be snatched from the Father’s hand”  (John 10:29). Once we belong to God, His hand is upon us. 

Furthermore, since “we are His people, the sheep of His pasture” , He will never stop pursuing us.  God longs for our 100% attention, affection, and love.  Anything less than 100% of ourselves that we give Him saddens Him. The Lord says in Isaiah 30:18 that He rises to show us compassion. God’s persistence is only out of love. He wants nothing more than for us to be filled with the understanding of “how long and how high and how wide and how deep the love of Christ is” (Ephesians 3:18). 

When we are constantly growing, God is fulfilling His ultimate desire for us—to finish the good work He has started in us, when He saved us from ourselves. What helps me is if I view my service to the Lord as something I owe to Him, because I submitted to His desires and His plans for me when I asked Him to save me. Those that abide by Micah 6:8, “…act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with the LORD your God”, will have a peace that passes understanding, as mentioned in Philippians 4:7. The peace that passes understanding is an assurance of knowing that what Paul encourages us in Philippians 1:6 is indeed true, that He will be faithful to finish the good work He has started in us.

Lord, please give me strength to do your will. Thank you for the good work you want to fulfill in me, please give me joy as I honor you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.