It sounds romantic, I know, but it’s not. It’s paralyzing. I don’t take on new endeavors because of fear of failure. I never believe I’m good enough because there’s always room for improvement. Tasks take twice as long while I work on every detail.
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Yet no matter how hard I work, one thing has become clear: I’m still flawed. Maybe you are too. But there’s good news for imperfect people like you and me.
One Thing You Should Know about Creation
An interesting word emerges from the second sentence of the Bible. See if you can spot it:
Now the earth was formless and empty. (Gen. 1:2)
I must have read that verse a hundred times, but I always raced past it—ignoring its significance. Did you ever wonder what it means to be formless?
Of course the dictionary provides us answers:
Having no regular form or shape; having no physical existence. Merriam-Webster)
But the definition seems inadequate to me. Like it’s own definition is formless.
In verse 1 God created the heavens and the earth, but that earth had no form. Maybe it was like a lump of clay, or maybe it was negative space like a black hole. Whatever it was, God took that formlessness and made it into something good. And on the sixth day God created mankind.
We like to think of creation as a singular event. God created everything, then he was done. Indeed Genesis 2:2 says that God rested after finishing his creation. But God said His creation was good.
Not perfect.
That imperfection was necessary to allow for free will and, by extension, love. But for man to have the ability to choose, he must have the ability to choose wrong.
And wrong we choose.
Sin entered the world through that tasty bite, and we’ve been sinning ever since:
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23)
But rather than abandon us as He rightly could have (being God and all), He provisioned for atonement. He destined His son to death that we might have life.
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Heb. 10:14)
Did you catch that phrase, “being made”? The present participle means it is an ongoing process; creation isn’t over.
God is not done creating.
When we fell He didn’t give up on us. Instead He rolled up his sleeves and dusted off His potter’s wheel. He grabbed us formless lumps of clay and got to work. You are an unfinished piece on whom God is still working.
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phi. 1:6)
If you’re anything like me—a selfish, sinful wretch of a man; broken, scarred, vengeful, and lustful—take heart! You’re just a lump of clay.
Ask the potter to form you, yes to perfect you, according to His will, and I have no doubt He’ll oblige. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Thank God He’s not finished with you.
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