Michelangelo was chipping away at a block of marble one day. A little boy came in and asked what he was carving. “A lion,” said the artist.

The boy couldn’t make heads or tails of the bulk of rock that stood before him. But he came again another day and saw a magnificent lion standing where the stone had been. “How did you know a lion was in there?” he wondered aloud.

God is a Master Sculptor. He sees the end of His work before He begins.

Paul is absolutely persuaded that God will finish the work He started in His people. But not all at once, as some translations put it. Paul didn’t say that God will suddenly finish His work in us “on” or “at” the day of Christ.

“The Greek text speaks of God’s continual work: He who began a good work in you will go on completing it until the day of Christ.”

Every day between this day and that day, God hacks away until everything that obscures the image of Christ in us is cut off and discarded. Good riddance.

Paul too is a master sculptor with chisel in hand. He sees the Philippians for what God will make of them. But he has no illusions. Only a foolish sculptor would leave a block of stone uncut because he already sees the lion inside.

Paul is no fool. There are some serious problems in the Philippian Church, as we shall see. Paul does not turn a blind eye or make excuses for them, as we sometimes do with those under our care. That’s not love. That’s sloppy agape.

Even though he is convinced that God will finish His work in his readers, Paul knows the part that he must play. And he loves them too much to leave them as they are. His pen is his chisel. He doesn’t miss a stroke.

Nor does he forget that the Philippians also have an essential part to play, as all of us do. God will go on perfecting His work in us, but not unilaterally. Not without our consent and cooperation.

We also have work to do on ourselves. Paul and the Church Fathers know of no salvation apart from moral, ethical, and spiritual transformation in this life (Gordon Fee).

Don’t wait till the tribulation or the rapture to get your act together. We must allow the day of Christ to determine how we live today and every day until that day. It is in this sense that “today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Each and every day presents us with fresh opportunities to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Where is your chisel?

Pray Now

1 How do you see the Singapore Church? Awake and alive to God and His purpose? Or in the doldrums, stagnated and stuck? Is she in decline, ageing, losing her influence, and waning in her mission? Regardless how you see her, acknowledge that the Singapore Church is God’s glorious work of grace in progress. Confess with confidence that, as long as we let Him, God will never stop working “in” us to transform us from the inside out – so that He can work “through” us to transform the world around us.

2 How do you see your church? If the report card is encouraging and your church is thriving, blessed are you. But don’t self-congratulate. Stay sober. Be humble. Acknowledge God’s hand. Praise Him for every sign of transformation in and through your church. Ask God:

• to protect her from the temptation to rest on her laurels
• to keep hacking out everything that hinders obedience and obscures the image of Christ
• for eyes to see the future. The greater things still to come. The greater works yet to be done.

Pray for divine discontent. Believe for the immeasurably more He has in store for your church, for Singapore, and for the nations — yes, through your church!     

3 How do you see your church? If the report card is discouraging and you think the heyday is passed, pray the truth: It’s not over until God says it’s over! Where has your church wavered and veered off course? Ask God for eyes to see what He is doing invisibly, and what He is calling you to do visibly. Yearn for revival and restoration: “Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2). Put your confidence in God who birthed your church. Dare to believe that “the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:9). 

4 How do you see your church? If the report card is disturbing and the situation seems impossible, resist despair and defeatism. Pray and trust God to awaken your church. Pray that she will return to her first love and respond to Jesus’ invitation: “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” (Revelation 2:5). Pray for eyes of faith to see your church for what God will make of her. Look far: Where dreams have been dashed, ask God to download His vision, resurrect hope, and instill faith. Where bones lay scattered and dry, pray for a new Pentecost. Fresh breath from heaven! Speak life, speak new beginnings over your church:

• Sound Word
• True Worship
• Strong Witness  
• Good Works  
• Warm Welcome  
• Fresh Wonder  

“For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Confess with confidence: God has a plan and a future for my church. He who began the good work of salvation and sanctification in my church will continue perfecting His precious work until the day of Christ. Amen.

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