When I finished university in 2002, I worked for a screen-printing company as an estimator. One of my jobs was covering for the production coordinator when she was out. She kept track of all the print jobs currently in production. This was done using a complicated spreadsheet called the WIP (work in progress) list. New jobs were added, in-progress jobs were moved around as they moved through departments, and they were deleted once completed.
Most jobs would move quickly through the process, but sometimes they would stall due to equipment breakdown or because there was a special ink that needed to be ordered. Sometimes they were sourced to another company to do something we were not set up to do.
I have recently seen how the WIP list can be compared to our walk through life. What items would be on your WIP list? Relationships, work, family, self-care? Where would your walk with Jesus rank on the list?
We are all works in progress. Sometimes we do great in one area, while failing at others. Sometimes our lives fall apart completely. Life often feels – one way or another – like one step forward and two steps back. We can never get ahead or get everything on our to-do list done. Also, our sin often drags us down. All of us (if we are honest) have something that we can never quite conquer. This is why Christmas is important. It is when we celebrate the coming of our Savior, the One who forgives us and washes our sins away, no matter what we have done or how badly we may think we have failed.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (NLT). He knows we cannot do it without Him. He is just waiting for us to realize it.
I have had to start again several times in my life. I have tried to make my own way, without God. All it got me was right back where I started. Defeated and depressed. But sometimes that is right where He wants us, where we acknowledge our need for Him and His direction for our lives. Once I started listening to Him and following His plan, things have gone much better for me. I have a husband, a home, and a family now. It has not been easy. I have also suffered miscarriages and financial hardships along the way, which have shaken my faith but ultimately strengthened it. God gave me healthy children and we have always managed to make ends meet. Proverbs 3:3-5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” I understand now that all the things I went through were just stepping stones to where God wanted me to be.
So put your walk with Jesus at the top of your WIP list. He knows you are a work in progress. As Paul said in Philippians 1:6, “I am certain that God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (NLT).
God sent Jesus to live as a human and suffer like we do, to be sacrificed for us, so that we can be forgiven. Once we ask for and accept His forgiveness, we know that He will be our friend forever. He walks with us and guides us as we seek Him first. Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).
So, this Christmas season, remember who Jesus is and why He came. It is easy to fill our list with shopping for presents, taking the kids to see Santa, watching dance recitals, and attending Christmas parties and other fun festivities. They are all fun and perfectly fine to indulge in, but make sure to keep your relationship with Jesus at the top of your list. Once you get into the habit of seeking Him first, the other items will flow more smoothly.
Merry Christmas!
“But the angel reassured them, “Do not be afraid! He said, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12 NLT
Mel Eyler
Mel Eyler is originally from the UK and now lives in Waynesboro PA with her husband, Nathen, and three daughters, Naomi (9), Leah (7), and Hannah (3).
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