As I was thinking about this today, the hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness" came to mind. The words of this song speak of the enduring commitment God has for His people:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee,
Thou changest not, Thy compassion's, they fail not,
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Repeat Chorus
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Repeat Chorus
In His Word, we find many passages that proclaim His abiding faithful presence with us. God promised Israel, in the Old Testament, that He would be with His people as they conquered the land: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6). Then in the New Testament, the Lord follows up with this same promise being quoted in Hebrews 13:5: "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Whether going to battle as Israel had to do many times or trying to live during hard times as the Hebrew Christians did, God proved Himself faithful never to abandon His own.
One of the greatest verses that assures us of the Lord's unchanging nature is found in Malachi 3:6: "“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." In this passage God is talking about His justice and judgment on those who have turned from Him. He does not change in His character; therefore, we know that He is faithful. What He says He will do, He will carry out. We see a similar passage in Numbers 23:19: ""God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" While others may change with every wind of doctrine, God remains the same. Hebrews 13:8 tells us: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
In my own life, I have experienced first hand God's faithfulness. At the time I had polio at the age of 7, I prayed and asked God to heal me. He did in a miraculous way. Even during those low moments of deep grief when we lost our grandson, His presence comforted us. He carried us when we were weak.
Recently, a co-worker's mother suffered a heart attack. We prayed for her and the Lord was faithful to answer and spare her life. What a mighty and faithful God we serve. He sticks closer than a brother and guides us like a shepherd ever faithful to His Covenant and promises.
Our world is filled with broken promises, wounded hearts and many disappointments, but through it all, there is only One that we can count on. God has even made a way for us to come to Him through His beloved Son Jesus Christ. Trust in Him for He will never let you down. Selah!
No comments:
Post a Comment