Finish the Work

To finish, you must first start.

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John 17:4 – I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

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Take a moment to re-read our Text for Today, perhaps more than once.  Read it slowly, methodically, looking for discovery.  These are the words of Jesus.  He makes two complete statements, but because they first is not ended with a period, it indicates that the two statements are inextricably tied together in order to give a more complete disclosure of information and intent.

Jesus said, “I have glorfied thee (Father) on the earth:”  In the Scriptures we find numerous references to what it means to glorify Father.  For instance, Jesus said, “Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit.”  Being fruitful, then, is one element of glorifying Father.  We are to glorify God in body and spirit.  But in our Text for Today, Jesus simply said, “I have glorified thee on the earth:”  He spoke these words as He was about to close His earthly ministry, just before His arrest and crucifixion.  He sets no parameters on His statement.  It is, in fact, what would be called “a blanket statement;” that is a statement that covers the entire subject.  Jesus had glorified, not partly so, but completely so, the Father.

And it is His next statement that brings clarity to His first statement.  Jesus said, “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”  In this statement is a powerful revelation to anyone who is truly seeking to glorify Father.  Every believer has a place in the body of Christ, and being in that place give indication that every believer has a work to accomplish in the body of Christ.  Ours is NOT a “total work” Jesus was sent to perform, but it IS a specific work, that when performed, becomes a vital and productive part of what the entire body must perform before the coming of the Lord.  I don’t know what your specific work it, but God does, and if you aren’t already fully aware of it, He will reveal it to you.  At this point, I ask the question: do you want to be able to say to Father as Jesus did, “I have glorified You on the earth.”?  I certainly do.  In our Text for Today is the life-changing revelation of how you can say that very thing to Father.  You must be able to say to Father the second statement in our Text for Today.  You must be able to say, “I have finished the work You gave me to do.”  We’re not talking about someone else’s work, but your work.  We are not talking about thinking about your work, but doing it, and more than that, finishing it.  We must learn to focus on what God has given each of us to do, seeing to it that we complete our own assignments, and that we do so joyously.  If each of us will do what we are assigned to do, we can truly glorify our Father. 

Manna for Today – John 17; 1 Corinthians 7:19-25; 1 John 5:3; John 14:15-17; James 1:22-25;        John 15:8; 1 Corinthians 6:20

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