WORK IN PROGRESS

My friend subscribes for a daily christian journal and he forwards them to me regularly. This particular episode that he sent to me got tears in my eyes. I see myself in this young woman's story and I think I have a better understanding of how and why God won't give up on me. He has envisioned a finished product!!!!!I pray that God will minister to just one person with this article that has blessed me enormously and I'm praying i will bless you too.

This article was written by a minister, Lisa Crum. Be blessed!!!


A few years ago while I was still newly-employed at my last secular job, I kept hearing my boss refer to the "year-end WIP reports" (I thought he was saying "whip!"), and I didn't have a clue what he was talking about until I saw it in writing. W-I-P. Being new to all those accounting office buzz words, and wanting so to make a good impression, I privately asked a co-worker what WIP stands for. She kindly replied, "work in progress."

OK, I now had what the letters stand for, but I still didn't grasp what the term really means. Next stop--internet dictionary. Hmmm...a piece of work that's not yet finished. How interesting. Self-explanatory, actually.

Unfinished stuff. I can totally relate to that, can't you? My stack tray is full of it, and so is my house! But on a deeper level, let's talk about us. I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, "work in progress" in my prayer time this morning. Not having heard that term in months, I had to just sit and mull it over before getting ready for work.

You and I are God's work in progress. As new Christians, we begin as a rough draft (a really rough draft!). In the course of our lifetimes, God has to do a lot of revising, adding, subtracting, changing our thinking, changing our attitudes, undoing what we've done to ourselves and what other people have spoken over us.

That stack of papers on my desk hasn't got a will; the time it takes for completion is entirely up to me and my willingness to whittle it down. However, with God's work in progress, the "worked on" items--we-- have a free will! For that reason, it takes Him all our lives to work out the "bugs." Sometimes we catch on quickly; other times He has to delete the same things from our mindset over and over.

But He's patient. He envisions the finished product and He's so willing to see us through to the end. As long as it takes, as a matter of fact. If you struggle with frustration over your failures, as I often do, know that God's grace is sufficient. No matter how often you've fallen flat on your face, or "almost but not quite" succeeded in fulfilling your destiny, it's not so late in the game that God can't redeem the time for you.

He's an expert at implementing "Plan B" for all of us who didn't get it right the first (or second, or third!) time. Hop back up onto Father God's worktable today and allow Him to do a new thing in your life. He's got plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future...you're His very valuable work in progress.

"...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

Lisa Crum is a freelance writer and Christian songwriter. She is a staff member at Regional Church of God in Delbarton, WV www.regionalchurch.org, where she serves as administrative/ pastoral assistant as well as in music ministry. She is currently working on her first book, "Doing It by the Book," which uses the Genesis creation as the blueprint for turning dreams into realities. She and husband Dana are members of Regional Church and lifelong West Virginians.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLE

Here are the answers to the puzzle I put up last week. Only 2 people scored 80% of my scores. Ok here we go!!!!

Puzzle 1.
I say then that God cast away His people? God forbid.For I also am an Isrealite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.God that not cast away His people which He foreknew.


Puzzle 2.

But He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord for not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth.

watch out for my puzzles as I'd be giving away "lots" of gifts this season...mind u, it's my birthday month***big grin***