A Constant Climb

           Reflecting Christ (Sonnet 14)
That I would be like Christ is God’s chief goal.
Oh, such a thought – His beauty to reflect,
When I am nothing but a ransomed soul.
How can I glory unto Him deflect?
This work is nothing I can do at all,
But only done by God’s amazing grace.
Each day I must see my deep need and fall
And humbly put Him in His rightful place.
It’s not a work that can be quickly done,
But through my whole life long a constant climb.
No part of life is wasted – no, not one.
Let patience do its work in God’s good time.
Though ups and downs may cause me times of doubt,
At last I’ll see Him bring His work about.

Whether you have been saved for five weeks, five years, or five decades, the need still exists to continue pursuing God. Until you get to heaven, there will always be room for growth. Fully-mature growth does not happen overnight. This should not be surprising, because the same principle is true for any worthwhile effort. Someone does not decide to become a concert pianist, a master artist, or an Olympic-level athlete, start to train, and then reach his goal in a week, a month, or even a year. He may reach his goal eventually, but only if he continues training and does not give up in the frustrating or discouraging days along the way.

So it is as the Christian pursues maturity. There will be days (and even more extended periods of time) in which it seems you are making no progress or even that you are regressing. At times you will be firmly convinced that you will never even approach the goal. In those times, do not give up. God will do His work in you. As you place yourself before Him with the desire to grow, God will change you – sometimes gradually, sometimes with noticeable spurts of growth – into the image of His Son.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” II Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)