When Grace Finishes the Job

Land sakes, friend, the porch swing’s sho’-nuff’ empty, the coffee pot’s still good and warm, and this ol’ front porch has been waitin’ on you like an ol’ country mailbox waitin’ on the Saturday mornin’ newspaper. Come on over here rest those tired, weary feet before your thoughts start to scatterin’ like lil’ ol’ quail through the wavin’ broom grass. I’ve got real good news that’s a whole lot sweeter than cane syrup on a pipin’ hot biscuit. God ain’t even halfway through with you yet.

Jude 1:24 says, “To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” Faultless! Right now most of us feel about as faultless as a lil’ ol’ muddy piglet standin’ right over beside a white tablecloth. We sho’-nuff’ know our weaknesses. We plum remember our failures. We still git to wrestlin’ with attitudes that can get stirred up quicker than some real mad hornets under a porch step.

But Heaven won’t contain no kind of unfinished version of you.

Jesus didn’t save you merely to just forgive what you done yesterday. He’s downright transformin’ you for eternity. The Holy Spirit keeps right on sandin’, shapin’, cleansin’, and teachin’ until everything sin damaged is finally been made whole.

That’s why 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 gives us such mighty assurance: “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through... The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” There’s the glory of it all. He will do it for you and for me.

One day temptation will be all gone. Shame will have done packed up its bags and left. Every doggone crooked desire will skedaddle out of here for good. You’ll stand before Christ all clothed in His glorious righteousness, completely holy, completely home, and more radiant than a great big firefly convention shinin’ brightly on a July evenin’.

Father, thank You that You never abandon the work You begin in me. Keep shaping my heart, cleansing my desires, and making me more like Jesus. When I become discouraged with my weaknesses, remind me that Your grace is still working and that one day You will present me faultless in Your presence with joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now, friend, the daylight’s callin’, so button up your courage real tight and mosey on out there toward whatever waits for you beyond them ol’ porch steps. Don’t be lettin’ yesterday’s mud convince you that tomorrow’s clothes can’t be cleaned. A lil’ ol’ caterpillar looks mighty unfinished before its beautiful wings show up. And you, too, are still in the hands of a mighty Savior who never quits before His magnificent masterpiece is fully completed.

With joy,

Gwen