Athletes always strive for perfection, though in many ways, perfection is a fleeting goal. In man’s eyes, perfection always is changing. Watching the figure skating at the Olympics, we could see that to some, a triple axel was perfection. An axel is a jump with a forward takeoff invented in 1882 by Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen. Dick Button was the first to land a double axel in competition, at the 1948 Winter Olympics. Thirty years later, Vern Taylor landed the first triple axel in competition. Now skaters are working on the quadruple axel, though as yet, no one has landed it in competition. Bigger and better continues to drive us. In God’s eyes, though, perfection doesn’t change. A perfect life is one without sin, and only Jesus could manage that. So do we have any chance at perfection?
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Philippians 1:3-6 (NKJV)
We fail, but God doesn’t fail. He is the one responsible for us becoming more like Him. He will put us in situations where we will grow closer to Him. God is going to complete His work in us. So what is our part in this formula? This is very important. God is going to keep teaching us lessons, through the various trials of life. Before qualifying for the Olympics, the athletes have to prove themselves in the Olympic Trials. In the same manner, we endure trials to become more like the Lord.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:2-4
Lessons are not always easy. Sometimes, we have to get gently prodded in one direction. When we fail to listen, sometimes we have to get hit in the head! The shepherd’s staff worked in two ways. The crook at the end could gently bring the straying sheep back. If the sheep went astray too many times, the shepherd might choose to pop the sheep in the butt with the staff to get the sheep’s attention.
If we learn the first time, we are more apt to get the gentle correction rather than the attention getter. I also have heard that after regular disobedience, the shepherd broke the rear legs of the sheep and carried the sheep, as with broken legs the sheep could not stray. While I don’t want to have my legs broken, there is a special and endearing aspect of the Lord carrying us! Learn your lessons well.
If God is going to perfect us, why didn’t He make us perfect the first time? Why did He allow us to live in these sinful bodies on this sinful earth? I think the passage in Romans 7 strikes home so deeply.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. Romans 7:15-17
What we hate we continue to do! Sin still is a part of our lives. The key to it all is the desires of our hearts. As Christians, though we continue to sin, we desire to do it God’s way. When self dies to the point where we desire His will in our lives, He will work out the rest of the details. Think of David, who was a man after God’s own heart. If we delight in the Lord, the Word tells us that God will give us the desires of our hearts. If the desire of our hearts is to do it His way, then I can certainly see how God will give us that desire. He does it by perfecting us, by putting us in glorified bodies that never will have to worry or sorrow about sin ever again. Praise God!
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