God is Faithful




God is faithful. That’s all she wrote.

Well, okay. That’s not exactly all she wrote but it’s all anyone needs to know. If only we believed it, there would be such a radical shift in human behaviour the world would turn on its end and we would experience “heaven on earth”.

The reason we can’t or won’t believe God is faithful is because we see him through our own unfaithfulness. When Peter declared Jesus is the Anointed One, the Son of God, it was a revelation of the Father, by the Holy Spirit and not of himself (Matthew 16:16-17). The same is true when we grasp the revelation of God’s faithfulness.

According to dictionary.com, faithful means: strict or thorough in the performance of duty; true to one’s word, promises, vows; steady in allegiance or affection, loyal; reliable, trusted, or believed; adhering or true to fact, a standard or an original.

God is faithful to his word. For simplicity, and for argument’s sake, pretend God hasn’t uttered a word or promise since we’ve been handed the Holy Scriptures. If the Bible is the only word(s) God has given his church (it’s not because he continues to speak today), he is faithful to finish every incomplete promise. Nevermind about the length of time it may take. When God spoke to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3, He gave him a directive, “Go, to the land I will show you...and I will make you a great nation.” When Abram set out, he didn’t know where he was going, but God was faithful to give him a glimpse (Genesis 12:7). In Genesis 13:14-17, God reiterated the promise of land and a nation of descendants. Again, in Genesis 15:1-21, God again gives Abraham a promise and add to it - it won’t be fulfilled for another 400 years.

Mankind’s lifespan was already shortened to 120 years by the time Abram received this promise so he knew it he wouldn’t be around to personally collect, but still God remains faithful. Despite the obvious setback (Abram and Sarai were old, and past childbearing years when the promise was given), or the tests (God tested Abraham to sacrifice Isaac – the only heir to the fulfilled promise), God was still faithful.

We read about the commencement of the fulfillment of the promise in the exodus story. The literal seed of Abraham had become a great nation, and the Lord brought them to the land he had already promised and shown Abraham would be for his descendants. The fulfillment is still unfolding, even to this day because the promise also included the blessing would be for all nations, which includes Israelites and Gentiles alike. It was a promise, and it was meant to continue on expanding.

In the Psalms, David tells us to taste of God’s goodness (Psalms 34:8) but to feed on his faithfulness (Psalm 37:3). A taste is a taste, fleeting and not sustaining, but when you feed on something, it’s like gnawing on a bone. It takes time and it will sustain you. You can grow fat from what you feed on, but a taste won’t make you fat.

I encourage myself and remind others of God’s faithfulness to his promises – the ones we read in the Bible, and the ones He gives to us personally. If they haven’t been fulfilled, then the story isn’t finished. Keep eating, feeding on his faithfulness.

#40lessons: Isaiah reminds us the word of the Lord does not return void, and no plan of God’s can be thwarted. His plan is unfolding to bring about his promises. He is faithful, that’s all we need to know and believe.

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