Finish...Finish?...FINISH!!!!

A thought has been ricocheting around in my head for several day now, and keeps surfacing despite all the distractions I try to throw in front of it. I know the signs. I've "been here before". This is a Pop-Up from God, no doubt about it.



It all started two weeks ago today as I was showering before church. (Look for a future blog on "Shower Chronicles") This scripture popped into my mind:

"being confident of this, that HE who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"

Ok. One of my favorite scripture verses. Thanks for the reminder, God...You and I KNOW there is alot of work to be completed in this girl! Now, knee-highs or full on panty hose today?



Later, in church, after a wonderful, joyful ( it's the only place where my heart is so full I am pushed past the barriers society places on me NOT to share my singing voice!) opening to the service, Our Pastor got up to begin his message. With a scripture. With a scripture from Philippians....Now, from the Living Bible:

"And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you to grow in His grace until His task within you is finally finished ..."

Ok. Again, Ok. Hey, that's interesting! Now, settle in and open my journal. Which color pen do I feel like taking notes in today?



Home from church and time to settle in for a Bible Study Fellowship "marathon"...completing my lesson for Monday night's meeting. All is in readiness. Lesson on clipboard, colored markers and pen at the ready, journal open to a clean page for insights the Holy Spirit really wants to press upon me.

And there is was, this time in black and white on the lesson page:
"And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until the His task within you is finally finished.."

OKAY. Wouldn't THIS get YOUR attention?



God has spoken to me in this way many times before.... To draw me to join with Him in the work HE is doing in me. To invite me to pay attention and slow down to spend time with HIM...to LISTEN to what He is saying and to be obedient. I use the word OBEDIENCE because I realize it is not only being thankful that He is reminding me that He is at work within me, but also that as a believer, I am to follow His example. I am made in His image am to reflect Him in my life and actions.



So. Back to that ricocheting thought. WHAT does FINISH "look like" in my life? What could that mean?



FINISH... all those dribs and drabs of projects around the house...well, sure. First one that comes to mind is a miniature chest I had promised to my niece. It is to be my version of Swedish rosemalling on a small blue chest for her American Girl doll with her name painted among the flowers.



FINISH...all those half finished letters, or those only begun in my mind, to elderly aunts and good friends. I construct and diagram the letters in my mind but get distracted before actually putting pen to paper and stamped envelope in mailbox.



FINISH...New Year's Resolutions. This comes to mind as it IS January, and they are fresh, and in some cases actually being worked out this year....Not so much the exercise and better diet ones.....



FINISH...What about all the "We should get together...Let's make that happen"s? In the past four months I have made some wonderful re-connections with old and dear friendships that in my Lexapro haze, content to sit on the couch and knit with my TV "friends", I allowed to lapse.

I have been SO convicted that while I wasted time watching and sometimes REwatching old movies with knitting needles clicking away in my raggy hoodie...these friends were going through various rough spots in life that as a FRIEND I could have been hugging, praying, and helping them through. Wasted opportunities.



FINISH...This hit me, even the annual "catching up" with old college friends in this year's Christmas card epistles brought word of not only the introduction of grandbabies to some of our lives, but sad circumstances in employment and relationships...with the sadder promise that these look as though they will worsen. What keeps us from actually planning to get together, FACE TO FACE after all these decades? THAT is a thought I am convicted to finish in action.



FINISH....In the past two weeks as I have thought about it, I have become aware that I think alot. I get ideas and flesh them out in my mind and then pat myself on the back," GREAT idea! That would be so neat, and it can work! You go girl!"...but I don't. I congratulate myself on my ideas, but often don't put any legs to them at all...and they evaporate into thin air...no one else even hears the idea...poof. SO NOT finished.



And most importantly, aren't all the many ways I DON'T FINISH based on my thinking that my time to work in these many situations...that my time on earth, is limitless? How ridiculous is THAT? I also love the scripture that tells us that God planned all the details of each of our lives, His purposes for us, BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME! I don't think He so much planned how many stitches I would knit in front of HGTV somehow.



I want to FINISH well. I want to accept HIS invitation to join Him in the work HE is doing in my life. Hey, that's from our small group "Experiencing God" study discussion for tonight...Go FIGURE!