Some Assembly Required

        We have a young cat, just old enough to not be called a kitten any longer.  I purchased a "cat tree" to have something for her to climb and play on.  It did require some assembly.  In preparation, I found a video on YouTube that went through the detailed instruction.  It was a young lady and went through every step from beginning to end.  At one point, she put a wrong length bolt into the assembly and had to later take it out, as it was supposed to go somewhere else.  I thought that it was good for me to have watched this video so I won't make the same mistake.  I was going along with the assembly of the cat tree and got to one of the final steps and found that I was short one bolt.  Then, I realized that I still had made the same mistake and had to go back to remove and replace the bolt that I had put in the wrong spot.  Philippians 1:6 says, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" 
         There should be a sign on the front of every  believer which says, "Some Assembly Required."  We may have all of our parts in the right places, but there is still a work that is going on.  It is a work that God is doing.  Paul said that it was a "good" work and he also said that the work will someday be complete.  In the meantime, we go through this world from day to day realizing that God is still working in us.  We have all heard many times the phrase, "Please be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet."  This work is truly a "work in progress."  Sometimes, the work involves a little chipping away of some areas of our lives until everything is removed from us that does not represent what God wants to achieve in our lives.  the chipping away may result in some pain now and then but the finished product will certainly be worth it all.  There is one thing for sure.  God doesn't make a mistake and put something in our lives that doesn't belong at the time and then have to go back and correct it.  The Author and Finisher always does that which is perfect.  When the proper time comes, this work will be finished and we will be standing before the Lord Jesus Christ.  Until then, we go through life knowing that God is still working in us.  That should make us confident of what is taking place in our lives today and tomorrow and all the days to come.  We like to use the phrase, "God is in control."  We often use it when we don't know what else to say, but it is true.  God is in control and so we can rejoice in what He is doing in our lives today.  Praise God that He still works  in us.  We are not finished yet, but getting closer and closer everyday.