Luke is a very methodical man. He does his research, and he talks to eyewitnesses. And he pins down dates and places and people in great detail. As far as Luke is concerned, there is no such thing as being too careful where the story of Jesus is concerned. He writes it as clearly as he can, “so that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:4).

Luke is telling the story of “the things that have been accomplished among us” (Luke 1:1). Accomplished by whom? By God, of course. God is the One who accomplished everything Luke wrote about—from the births of John and Jesus, through Jesus’ Baptism, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection.What started with a tiny baby in His mother’s arms ended with the salvation of the whole world, accomplished through God’s own self-sacrifice.

And yet what God accomplished did not end there. Luke himself went on to write a sequel to his first book, the book of Acts. Acts tells about what the Holy Spirit accomplished in the early church, from its beginning at Pentecost to a quiet period when Paul was under house arrest but able to preach and teach freely anyway. The second book, but not the story, ends there. There is still more to be accomplished.

Where? In your life and in mine, and in the lives of every Christian. Whether it’s through great, dramatic events, or quiet, invisible ones, God is still active, accomplishing His plan for our salvation and re-creation every day. All of us who trust in Jesus are part of the ongoing story— joyful participants in “the things that are being accomplished” among God’s people.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for the things You are accomplishing in my life, even when I’m unaware of them. Use me in Your service. In Jesus’ Name I ask. Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What is one thing you count as a personal accomplishment?
• Describe one thing God has accomplished in your life.
• What do you think is a work of God that is “in progress” in your life right now?