What Does It Mean to Be Faithful? - Spiritual Nugget 77

Like many of you, I have attended at least one or two marriage ceremonies. As we listen to the couple recite their wedding vows, they pledge their faithfulness to each other until death separates them. In other words, they pledge their constancy for a lifetime with each other, even if new circumstances show up during their marriage. They establish a covenant with each other.
 
But like the weather, circumstances can cause changes in the atmosphere. The grass seems greener with another person or money, infidelity, personality and/or career changes, family circumstances and a host of other unforeseen happenings become the toxins for faithlessness and a broken marriage covenant.
 
Symbolic of a faithless marriage, our current environment is flooded with distrust, guided by untruth and ruled by negative words. Our surroundings are so offensive and caustic that we find ourselves questioning the faithfulness of God.
 
You can be assured there is no reason to question God’s faithfulness. Faithfulness, like His eternal love for mankind, is a characteristic of God as our “faithful creator.” God’s fidelity to His covenant promises can never be made void by the unfaithfulness of His human creations. His faithfulness is the foundation of comfort during suffering and tribulation.
 
Joseph’s ordeals were one of the most colossal displays of God’s faithfulness. He was tormented by his brothers, thrown into a pit and left for dead, sold into slavery, accused of adultery and placed in prison, but was elevated by the warden to commander. God’s faithfulness is dramatically revealed by Joseph’s miraculous triumph over all his dreadful circumstances. Pharoah placed Joseph in charge of the entire Egyptian kingdom and Joseph saved his family and the entire world from famine. (Genesis 37-41)
 
In case you were wondering, God is not an Old Testament God fulfilling only the promises of Israel. He is a God who applies His attributes to all of His creations. The twelve disciples of Jesus were living Epistles of the faithfulness of God. Through His gracious promises, He is the secure object of trust and forgiveness through the death and resurrection of His Son. He is Omnipotent (all powerful/no rival or equal). He is Omnipresent (He is always there; He never slumbers or sleeps). He is unchangeable—even when man is unfaithful.
 
To seal His faithfulness, God has given us promises to cover every area of our life so that we may trust ourselves to Him even when we are suffering. His promises are always “yes” and “amen.”
 
To list only a few:

• Protection: Proverbs 18:10; Romans 8:31
• Marriage: Ephesians 5:33; I Peter 3:7
• Children: Psalms 127:3-5; Proverbs 17:6; Matthew 19-14
• Money: Deuteronomy 8:18; I Timothy 6:17-19

 
Here is the best part to take away from all of this: Never give up hope! The fulfillment of God’s promises depends not upon humankind, but on the fidelity of God. There is nothing hidden from God.
 
God’s faithfulness is absolute, even if everyone else is a liar.

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