HIS LOVE, HIS MERCIES, HIS FAITHFULNESS - PART 7

WESNESDAY 17 APRIL 2024

Reference: Lamentations 3:22-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

The next and last segment in the above versified reference to be expounded by my humble self is:

Great is your faithfulness.

Faithfulness is a wondrous function that bears witness to the reality of this Kingdom of light we've been called into. It is an expression of the higher purpose of a nobler side of Christian character, which leads to special dignity in Christ.

While mentoring Timothy, Paul mentioned some trustworthy statements about God, and one of them is:

"If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is" (2nd Timothy 2:13).

Here regardless of our level of faithfulness, He remains faithful because the name itself, "God" is the accurate meaning of being faithful. The Roman term is "fidus" which suggests fidelity or trustworthiness.

Why did Paul say, "If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful..." This is because it is the experience of many people, bearing in mind that the vividness of man's faithfulness may not always abide, like God's faithfulness. Why? There is such a thing as the "the will of the flesh" in humans, which could prompt the fragmentary process of their faithful operation on a lesser level, compared to the stable and unimpeachable character of Supreme Deity. For instance, Saul was an unfaithful king of Israel.

So when it comes to God, the continued effect of His faithful character is without a pause. In a nutshell, the impeccable steadfastness or standard of His faithfulness is unfathomable or incalculable. So even when we walk in the light of the Lord, we are kept and preserved by His perfect and enduring faithfulness, not by our own faithful efforts.

Now watch this: there are two important functions His faithfulness offers us in our Christian lives, namely:

1. Established sense of upbringing and uprightness.

2. Guardianship or custodianship.

To that effect, 2nd Thessalonians 3:3 reads, "But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one" (NKJV). Got it? On the one hand, the established sense of upbringing and uprightness "in Christ Jesus" is in connective emphasis of God's gracious proceeding towards us, which is an immediate faithfulness He started in us through the finished work and person of Christ.

To instantiate this verity, God raised us with Christ Jesus from the dead, and He was faithful in doing so, exactly on the third day (Acts 10:40 NIV). So our sense of upbringing and uprightness started on the cross and continued well as the resurrection power of God seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6 NIV), And it is by being one with Christ Jesus that all the building up, raising up, and shaping of our glorious destiny happens to us.

On the other, the guardianship or custodianship sense of God's faithfulness is always rewarding, unfailing, fulfilling and satisfactory. To instantiate this verity, God assured our biblical venerated patriarch, Abraham, of His guaranteed guardianship in Genesis 28:15, which reads, "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you" (ESV). More so, I can give an account of numerous passages from the classics of biblical references where the guardianship or custodianship sense of God's faithfulness is exceedingly ubiquitous.

Another helpful instance is stated in 1st Chronicles 28:20 (ESV) where King David said to Solomon His son, "Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." Lo and behold, God's faithfulness prevailed in Solomon's work of building a permanent structure where the chest of the covenant of God was placed; and God remained faithful until the very last detail was completed and made suitable for His worship.

Beloved, God's faithfulness is exceedingly great and if you are a grateful person, you'll acknowledge that there are solid proofs aplenty which aver that God is so to us. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Joshua 1:9; Psalm 27:10; 1 Samuel 12:22; Psalm 94:14; Matthew 28:20.

Exuberant Declaration:

The Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness stretches to all generations. Praise God!