Steven A. Bush - April 3, 2022
Construction Zone: Proceed With Caution
Former slave ship captain and author of Amazing Grace, John Newton said: "I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say with the great apostle, "By the grace of God I am what I am." All honest Christians can affirm the same--we're all under construction. We're all sojourning from salvation to glorification on the sometimes hard and grueling road of sanctification--being changed into the likeness of Christ. It's a route lined with orange barrels. The delays and detours, the noise and utter messes, can drag us down if we lose sight of our destination. But there's an Artist's rendition of the finished product and it looks just like Jesus. It behooves us therefore to cling to 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 which declares: "For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (ESV) Add to that Philippians 1:6 which echoes: "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." (ESV) Therefore we press on patiently and with hope-filled confidence that God will carry us through, even all the way to the realms of glory...