He Finishes What He Begins

I've got a problem to share with you. I'm a 95%'er. Yep, it's true. If you come to my house and look around, you will see numerous projects that are 95% complete. For some reason when it comes to house projects, I can get within sight of the 'finish line' but I can't seem to ever reach it. Thank God that He is not like that! He finishes everything He starts.

That's what Jesus is all about. Jesus is the crown molding in the house of God. He is the finishing touch on the project of Creation that God began long ago. It is by His bright light that we are drawn, as moths to the flame, to the fire of God. How fitting for us to consider this truth as we anticipate the celebration of His earthly birth.

I've been studying our needfulness for revival and restoration by the prescient manifestation of God. My studies today continue in this vein but takes a turn. The turn is one of negotiation. I'm in Psalms 80 still and in V17-19, Asaph offers a deal to God. Now, I'm not one for casual deals with God because I know He will definitely keep His end of the bargain. But in this instance, I think the deal being proffered by Asaph is one He knows God intended from the beginning. See what you think;

Psalm 80:17-19 (NIV)

¹⁷ Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,

the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

¹⁸ Then we will not turn away from you;

revive us, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹ Restore us, O Lord God Almighty;

make your face shine upon us,

that we may be saved.

^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

This passage opens with an acknowledgement that the son of man is already at the right hand of God the Father. While I accept that the Son of God is already rightly there, having not yet been born into humanity, crucified, resurrected, ascended and glorified, I think the son of man is not yet in the throne-room. In that, Asaph is dealing in 'God time.' And in 'God time' the Son of Man is indeed already in the throneroom. Certainly from our perspective and time, Christ, in his glorified body sits at the right-hand of God.

So the condition put forth by Asaph is that God will rely on His man, the Man He put in place. The response to the condition is "we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name." In this, the poor psalmist agrees to something he cannot deliver.

Not only did the nation of Israel categorically reject the son of man, turn away and stop calling on the name of God but Gentiles through-out history have heard and turned away. Even though God, in his steadfast faithfulness, fulfilled His part of the bargain, we weak and double-minded humans fail to uphold our end.

A modern-day agnostic or atheist could say "I have no part in this bargain, Asaph did not speak for me" and be acquited. But what of we Christians? We know the truth, we have tasted the feast offered by God, we have availed ourselves of the redeeming blood. How then can we ever turn away, how can we fail to call on the name of The Lord?

So on behalf of those who have turned away, on behalf of those who cast side-long glances at the world, on behalf of those who despair, I join Asaph in V19.

Psalm 80:19 (NIV)

¹⁹ Restore us, O Lord God Almighty;

make your face shine upon us,

that we may be saved.

^[1]

^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Finish me O God, finish me.

Construction Zone,

Carl