He's Still Working On Me

  There's a song a Southern Gospel group recorded way back around 1981 that I have loved since the first time I heard it. The title of the song is "He's Still Workin' On Me." The song goes like this:

Verse 1:
There really ought to be a sign upon the heart,
Don't judge her yet, there's an unfinished part.
But I'll be perfect just according to His plan
Fashioned by the Master's loving hands.

Chorus: 
He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me.

Verse 2:
In the mirror of His Word reflections that I see
Make me wonder why He never gave up on me.
He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray
Remember He's the Potter, I'm the clay.

   The song is often looked on as a kid's song, and in fact the first time I heard it was in a Vacation Bible School at my church as a 12 year old. It is a great song for kids, but this 40's guy realizes how true the words of that song are more than the 12 year old me could ever have imagined.

  It is easy to toss out phrases such as "I'm not perfect, just forgiven.", "God's not finished with me yet", or "He's still working on me" in a flippant way when we want to excuse our sins or bad actions. We should never excuse sin or our things we do wrong, and that is not where I am going with this post.

  The song has been on my mind lately. I know I am not perfect. My list of imperfections far outnumber any good points I have in my eyes. I look at other Christians and wonder if I'll ever have the spiritual maturity that they have. I am too outspoken, I lack confidence in my abilities or in God's ability to use me. I have a hard time trusting God and worry about everything except drowning in a glass of iced tea.

  I often wonder, and even ask God why He puts up with me. Why He doesn't just turn His back and declare me unworthy of His love and attention.

  And then I realize I am still a work in progress. We are all, really. No matter how mature a Christian someone is, or how long they have been serving God; they are still a work in progress. God is still working on us. I didn't realize at the age of 12, or even at the age of 40 how patient this God I serve is with me, but I am slowly coming to get a better idea of it.

  So when I say "He's still working on me", I am not saying it to excuse my imperfections or anything I might do that others look on and question. I say it with a thankful heart that I serve such a patient God, and to remind people that I am not the finished product yet.

  He's still working on me. I am thankful that He is.