YOU Complete Me!
Tom Cruz in the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire coined a phrase that women swooned at, “You complete me.” The desire for completeness is every humans quest; which, sadly for the most part eludes the greater majority; predominantly because our notion of completeness is wrapped up in things.
It is understandable when people without Christ, focus on ‘things‘ to complete them, yet, it is problematic when Christians believe that their completeness, rest in ‘things.’
When l find that perfect job or career l will be complete…Christian, if you never find that perfect job, or career, you are complete; because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l marry that perfect mate l will be complete…Christian, if you never marry that perfect mate, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l have the 2.5 kids, the house with the picket fence, l will be complete…Christian, if you never have the 2.5 kids, or the house with the picket fence, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l am in full-time ministry, l will be complete…Christian, if you never enter into full-time ministry, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l write my book, my songs, l will be complete…Christian, if you never write anything, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l get more preaching opportunity, l will be complete…Christian, if you never stand in a pulpit, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l go on that missionary trek, l will be complete…Christian, if you never leave your suburb, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l have more jewels, clothes or a new car, l will be complete…Christian, if you never have beautiful jewels, lots of clothes or a new car, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When l am a leader of a ministry department, l will be complete…Christian, if you never lead a ministry department you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
When my Church breaks the 100, 200, 300, 500, 1,000, 2,000 barrier, l will be complete…Christian, if you never break any of those barriers, but shepherd well what God has placed in your care, you are complete: because Jesus has made His home with you.
All these ‘things’ that we strive for and associate with completeness, can be gone in the blink of the eye, but, only one thing endures forever….. Jesus and His indwelling presence.
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23).
For 2012 may your mantra be, “Jesus, YOU complete me.”
7 “But whatever things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8But no, rather, I also count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them to be dung, so that I may win Christ 9and be found in Him; not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God by faith, 10that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death; 11if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I am pressing on, if I may lay hold of that for which I also was taken hold of by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:7-12).
Isobel Marsh
January 6, 2012 at 2:29 AM
Amen sister – too true! Thanks for sharing those thoughts Astrid. We have all we’ll ever need in Christ. In addition, large ministries, picket fences, children, expensive possessions, relationships and marriages are never without their difficulties and these can sometimes leave us feeling less than ‘complete’ at times as well.
It’s such a simple thing really, but sadly so many Christians do completely miss the point (myself included as I wrestled with God over losing my children and overwhelming feelings of incompleteness). We grasp for God’s blessings on their own lives. We covet ‘stuff’ and before long that ‘stuff’ becomes more significant than God; as we ever so slowly, subtly sink into idolatry of ‘stuff’ and ‘self’. The world’s prosperity &/or success indicators must be irrelevant if we’re to die to self and live in Christ (and He in us, of course).
God bless and warm regards