The phrase ‘God is faithful’ got me thinking this week…
One of the most common phrases that Christians use is, “God is faithful.” As much as it is true that God is faithful, do we really understand what faithfulness is?
First, let us define faithful. Faithful simply means dependable, reliable, trustworthy, loyal, or steadfast. A faithful person is true to his word, and keeps his promises!
Are there any verses in the Bible that refer to God as faithful, or that describe his faithfulness? Yes, there are several, and we will look at a few of them today.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (NIV)
In the latter section of this chapter, Paul was giving the Thessalonians final instructions on how to live as Christians. He knew that some of the instructions he was giving would prove to be a challenge, so he threw in an assurance to them – that the God who called them is faithful. Though these words were initially written for the Thessalonians, they were put in the Bible to encourage us.
We all know that turning to Christ is the easiest part of the Christian walk. What lies ahead – the challenges, trials, temptations, and tragedies – is what will determine whether or not we will complete the race. The good news is, the LORD who calls us to become part of his family is FAITHFUL – he will make sure we finish the race and receive the prize that he has prepared for us!
Psalm 111:7 “The works of his hands are faithful and just;all his precepts are trustworthy.” (NIV)
How many of us have had moments when we ask ourselves, “What is God up to,” or “Does God really know what he is doing in my life?” I have had those thoughts more than once over the years. Today, when I stumbled on this verse, I thought about a situation that I have been going through recently, one that is confusing and does not seem to have any solution in sight.
His works are faithful and just – that means that I can rely on them because they can be trusted – unlike my works! In other words, whatever I see as the ‘right’ solution to my situation pales in comparison to what God can do!
Check out this other verse…
Psalm 33:4 “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” (NIV)
Everything that God does displays his faithfulness! God is not asleep on the job – he knows exactly what he is doing! It is our job to trust him because he is trustworthy!
Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” (NIV)
When looking for a business partner or someone to do a school assignment with, whom do you choose? Do you pick the person who is untrustworthy and has a bad track record, or the one who is trustworthy and unlikely to let you down?
Let us apply this question to our daily lives. We have the choice to walk with ‘ourselves”, as it were, or to walk with God! What are the benefits of walking with God? Well, you get to hang out with a faithful God who will never let you down, who is good and never does anything wrong (will always treat you right), one who is upright (never does anything dodgy), and is just (fair – uses his perfect nature as the yardstick for right behavior). Most importantly, because of his faithful nature, he is a rock – unshakeable, immovable, and unbreakable! That’s the God that I want to walk with the rest of my life!
Friends, God is faithful, and faithfulness is part of his nature. He has called us to run this race, and has promised to be with us all the way, up to the finish line! Let me end with a verse that summarizes how his faithfulness works in our lives.
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (NIV)
In another version…
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” (NLT)
God can be trusted to keep his promises because he is faithful!
Hi, everyone! As always, I would love to hear from you. Let me know what stood out for you in this article, and what comments you may have. If you loved the article, please like it, share it with your friends and subscribe! See you next week! Alison