WEDNESDAY

Philippians 1:6

• What kinds of things is God doing in your life to help complete you?

The etymology of the word “perfect” comes from the word “complete.” In Latin, perfectus meant “completed.” Trace it back even farther and the rather unsophisticated foundations of the word tell us it comes from “per-” (thorough, completely) and “facere” (to do). To completely do, thoroughly done. Completed.

You’ve probably heard the theological promise that God will make us all perfect when Jesus returns to earth—that in heaven, we won’t be bound by our sinful nature, but instead we’ll embrace a new, perfect reality. We will be like God through God’s transformation: perfect.

Philippians says it this way: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Did you catch that? Perfection is really just completion. Which means that we were always meant to be perfect, whole, and complete. We’re in a detour on earth—a few long moments where the “long work” is in process. But Philippians promises that the One who began the work in us—God—will continue until it is finished. We will not be left incomplete, empty, or sinful. We will be made perfect: complete.