Joel Hemphill wrote a memorable Gospel song years ago that simply says “He’s still working on me” and oh, how true that is.
The only restriction on what God can do in our lives revolves around what we allow him to do.
He desires to shape and mold us into his image, into a vessel of honor that he can use. The problem arises when we are not pliable.
In other words, God wants to do something in us and we won’t let him.
You say Pastor Tim, does that happen?
Well, it’s happened in my life and I am quite sure it’s happened in a few of your lives as well. Don’t feel too bad because it also happened in the lives of the men and women that fill the pages of the Bible.
Right off the bat, a man by the name of Jonah comes to my mind.
God had a specific plan for Jonah and even told him so. Jonah was to go preach to a city called Niniveh.
Not an overwhelming call, the Lord would go with him of course. But nonetheless Jonah decided he would head off in another direction instead. Let’s listen into the series of events that caused Jonah to find himself back in a position where the Lord could use him.
“Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.”
Let’s pause here in the story and notice that as soon as Jonah headed off in the wrong direction, he immediately faced a storm.
What a lesson we can learn from that! When we venture out on our own, away from the will of God it won’t be long before we will come face to face with storms. Ever been there? It’s dangerous sailing for sure when we are on the sea of life without God.
Something else happened to this wandering soul.
When these sailors figured out that the storm was because of Jonah and his sin, Jonah was escorted to walk the plank and none too soon.
It was then that he embarked on what I’ll call the first recorded submarine ride in history — “So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
The stormy seas of disobedience often lead to the depths of dark despair. The wages of sin is still death.
I witness it so often in the broken lives I am called to minister to as a pastor.
Broken and destroyed by the effects of sinful disobedience, marriages, careers, and futures litter the battlefield of life. But the story doesn’t end there.
Let’s listen in to what happens next, “And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”
Wow and Amen! Praise the Lord for second chances!
If you’ve tried to fix it yourself and failed, you know the value of a second chance.
Often while trying my hand at a certain project around my house, I find myself overwhelmed and in need of help.
My first call was always to my dad. He just lived next door and was always willing to help and give advice. It just seems like he knew everything and everything.
Though he is no longer on this side of heaven, I think often about his advice and his help.
When my spiritual life stands in need of repair, and I don’t know what to do.
I have a Dad that lives even closer that my earthly Dad!
His name is Jesus!
He’s still working on me, and he’s always there to help regardless of the time of day or the circumstance, he knows everything about everything!
Is he still working on you?

Tim Throckmorton is the president of Lifepointe Ministries.