Philippians 1:6 And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. Amplified Bible (AMP)
In yesterday's verse Paul prayed that the Lord would direct his hearers and readers hearts to the love of God. Today's verse reflects and and expounds on this very thing. Paul was convinced that God had something bigger than themselves planned for those whom He called. He would develop something in them that wold grow and bear fruit.
When I was in college I learned how to develop black and white film and make prints in a dark room. All of the chemicals were there, the equipment was there, the enlarger the trays, the photo paper. But nothing would happen unless there was someone to do the developing. It was fun to develop pictures and see the images form and come into view into focus in the tray in front of you. For us, all the tools are there, but it is God who does the developing, He sees how are lives are taking shape and will see to it that we are fully developed into what He wants us to be.
When I read yesterday's verse about our hearts being directed to the love of God, I thought of the Matt Maher song "Woke Up in America" which starts, "I woke up in America, for the love of God, for something bigger than myself. That thought goes along with what Paul was thinking in today's verse. God has something planned for all of us that is bigger than ourselves. May we have confidence that He will develop, perfect and complete it in all of us.
Philippians 1:5-8
The Message (MSG)
A Love That Will Grow
3-6 Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.
7-8 It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!
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