God at work
But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
John 5:17 (ESV).
Over the years I have often seen signs near road works or building sites with the warning ‘Caution Men At Work’. They warn the general public to be careful of possible hazards or danger. And, of course, you ignore that warning at your peril!
God is no stranger to the activity of work. He is not reluctant to get on with the business of work, after all, he created or made the universe and everything in it! When Jesus was on earth, before he began his public ministry, he set an example of the importance of work by being a carpenter, as recorded in Mark 6:3: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”
We are also God’s workmanship, ‘…created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). The apostle Paul refers to this new work of God as the mystery of spiritual formation – Christ in us ‘the hope of glory’ (Colossians 1:27). This was his intent for mankind from the very beginning: “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.” (Genesis 1:26 NLT).
How amazing and wonderful that the very likeness of the beloved Son is being formed in us! And we have God’s promise in Philippians 1:6 that he will complete this amazing work, something that only the triune God can do: ‘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).
When God has completed his work of creating us in his likeness we will be his masterpiece! We are blessed, privileged and honoured ‘to be conformed to the image of his Son’ (Romans 8:29). We can only respond to this blessing with humility, thankfulness, and praise.
Prayer
Father God, thank you for this wonderful work of forming Christ in me. Please enable me to respond to what you are doing with the gift of humility. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
Study by Sherwin Scott
About the writer:
Sherwin Scott is a deacon in the Lewes congregation of Grace Communion International.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am
Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck: lewes@gracecom.church
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Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church