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| Great Is Thy Faithfulness!! |
What is faithfulness to you?
Do you see yourself as a faithful person? Faithfulness is something that comes
up in so many areas of our lives- in our relationships, in our work place, in
society, and especially in relation to God.
Faithfulness is a trait that
many strive for, but few manage to pull off.
Yes – we can stay faithful to our
spouses, faithful to our commitments, and even faithful to the things we agree
to do for the Lord. But it is in the heart that true faithfulness is judged. It
is not simply faithful actions. It is faithful intentions, faithful motivation,
that really matters.
Obviously, Jesus is the
epitome of faithfulness, but I believe there is another example from Scripture
that we can view as well.
I believe that Paul the
Apostle is a great case study on human faithfulness.
Even in his evil treachery
against the early church, he believed he was living out a life in service to
God. He was dead set, literally, on ridding the world of the existence of this
“abominable teaching”. It was not until God knocked him off his “high horse”
and blinded him, only to restore pure sight to him, that he truly realized the
error in what he was doing.
Once he was set on the correct
path, Paul applied that same fervor and passion to live his life faithfully to
the commission given to him by Christ to spread the truth of the gospel for the rest of his days. Coming against
insurmountable odds that would have made even the strongest of men turn tail
and run, he remained steadfast and immovable.
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, he
details much of the turmoil he suffered for the sake of his faith. But he
goes on to state in Phil 3:8 “I count everything as loss because of the
surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake, I have suffered
the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain
Christ.”
Paul could have had anything.
He could have done anything. He was a rich man; skilled, and full of worldly
knowledge. He was also full of theological knowledge. He was from a well-known
family; well enough to be a Jew and still a Roman citizen.
Yes – Paul could
have taken many different paths with his life, but he chose to serve God. Even
when he was recklessly seeking to destroy the very essence of what Christ
suffered and died for in his ignorance, he was recklessly abandoned to service.
He was determined to live his life in faithfulness to God.
Do we live like this? Do we
know where we are going? If we don’t have the directions, are we seeking the
GPS of the Holy Spirit to give us guidance? If we know what we are to be about,
are we single-minded and faithful to live out that calling?
We would be remiss not to
focus on Jesus and what He did for us. Of course, none of us can match His
faithfulness, but it bears consideration. Should we not do as Paul did? Is
Jesus any less worthy of our faithful abandon than He was for Paul?
Questions:
1.
On a 1-10 scale, how would you rate your
faithfulness at this time in your life?
- Spiritually
- Emotionally
- Relationally
2.
We are likely not where we want to be. What are
some steps we could take to become more faithful?
3.
How can we hold one another accountable to
faithful living?
Scriptures
to Consider:
2
Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose
heart is loyal to Him.”
Proverbs
20:6
“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a faithful man?
Matt
25:21 “His Lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful
servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many
things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
1 Cor
4:2
“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
Rev 2
:10 “Be
faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
“Those
who LEAVE everything in God’s hand
will eventually SEE God’s hand in
everything” - Unknown
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