Unfaithfulness has become a hallmark of contemporary society. Too often, husbands and wives are unfaithful in keeping their marriage vows. Many excuse their self-centeredness by saying “God wants me to be happy,” as though God approves of their unfaithfulness. Parents are frequently unfaithful in their commitment to the well-being of their children. Children tend to disobey their parents. Employees do not always serve their employers as they should, and some employers take advantage of those who work for them.
God is the only one we can completely trust because He has the integrity and flawless character that enables Him to be absolutely faithful to His Word and commitments. No one else can fulfill all promises as He does.
The Bible is filled with praises for the faithfulness of God. David writes, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds” (Psalm 36:5). Psalm 89:8 declares, “O LordGod Almighty! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, Lord? Faithfulness is your very character.”
But merely understanding God’s faithfulness is only part of our responsibility as Christians. God’s faithfulness is the essential foundation for building faithfulness in our lives. Let me give you an analogy that will help explain this principle.
The sun is the most important body in our sky. From it we get warmth, light, and beauty. If the sun would ever burn out, we could not survive. The moon is also a familiar sight in our sky. It has its own beauty, but it does not provide us with heat or light. All the light that comes from the moon is actually a reflection from the sun.
Almost every year, you could travel to some place in the United States to see a lunar eclipse. It usually lasts an hour or two. It is caused when the Earth moves between the moon and the sun, and the Earth’s shadow falls upon the moon. Because the moon generates no light of its own, when the sun’s light does not strike the surface of the moon, the moon is dark. We cannot see it.
We are like the moon. In our own strength, we cannot be faithful. At best, we are inconsistent, wavering, and selfish. Even when people who do not know God personally act in a faithful manner, it is only because they are created in God’s image. They are reflecting God’s quality of faithfulness. But it is only believers, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, who can become truly faithful to God, their families, and themselves. Whenever we allow any sinful act of disobedience to break our fellowship with God, we no longer reflect His faithfulness. Our lives become like that darkened moon.
God wants us to have a better understanding of His faithfulness, which will result in a more intimate relationship with Him. We know that “God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:9, NIV). Daily, the faithfulness of God should cause us to love Him more, study His Word, share the message of salvation with others, and pray without ceasing. Such responses draw us ever deeper into our fellowship with the Savior. As we spend more time with Him, our lives begin to reflect more of His faithfulness in how we love others and in the mercy we are able to give.
One way I have seen God’s faithfulness over the years is that His Word produces fruit in the lives of those who love Him. As reporter Clarence W. Hall followed American troops through Okinawa in 1945, he and his Jeep driver came upon a small town that stood out as a beautiful example of a Christian community. He reported, “The old men proudly showed us their spotless homes, their terraced fields, and their prized sugar mills.” The newsman saw no jails and no drunkenness, and divorce was unknown in the town.
Why was this village so unusual? An American missionary had come thirty years earlier and introduced two elderly townspeople to Christ and left them with a Japanese Bible. These new believers studied the Bible and in turn introduced their fellow villagers to Jesus.
The reporter’s Jeep driver was equally amazed at the difference:
“So this is what comes out of only a Bible and a couple of old guys who wanted to live like Jesus.”
God’s faithfulness to His Word had resulted in the transformation of the whole village.
By Bill Bright
©2024 Copyright Bright Media Foundation
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