Faithful

 Faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.  It is part of God's essential nature and person, a name by which He is called: Faithful and True. In a generation full of inconsistencies, self-absorption - everyone always looking for the next best thing and tenuous to commit to anything, we have great need of faithfulness.  We need a renewed understanding,a major cultural shift - a calling out of wishy-washy, weak-kneed belief systems and lifestyles to a hard-core, deep seated return to commitment and faithfulness. Friends committed to stick it out through thick and thin, to always hope and believe the best.  Church members committed to the life of the body, not wanting to dismember themselves when life gets tough or ideals aren't met, or feelings are hurt, offenses taken... Employees committed to the good of their workplace. Individuals willing to commit to events or activities.  The list could go on and on.  

     Faithfulness and trust go hand in hand. Faithfulness garnishes a confidence, a strong sense of security which manifests itself in peace.  I think in this wind-blown generation, it's hard to fully grasp or lay hold of a steadfast faithfulness that is unshakable, solid and belies a fly-in-your-face circumstantial reality, engendering an almost reckless (would be perceived to be reckless) confidence founded on a greater eternal reality of an unchanging God (borrowed from ideas in Lewis' Screwtape Letters and Manning's Ruthless Trust). Real reality, that which we can't see and often can't feel or understand but which moves all around us in the supernatural often seems to open up to me like a portal when engaged in worship of the one that is REAL above all realities and makes good on His every Word. 

    I could tell pages of evidences of God's faithfulness to me just from the last several weeks, as He has confirmed His word to me and provided numerous accounts of His great acts.  Yet, in the midst of this, I was reminded that my confidence lies not in these things that I see, as I have also been through times when His faithfulness was harder for me to see, to recount, to feel and grab hold of.  There have been times when darkness seemed to shroud the truths that underlie His character and nature.  Yet, I see now more than ever that confidence and peace should rely solely and ever on the one anchor that He is a faithful GOD - faithful to fulfill His promises, faithful to complete His work, faithful to accomplish His will and the plans and intents of His heart.  NOTHING can shake that, no power, no positions, no prospects or precedence.  

    There have been many times I struggled to hang on to words or promises He has given me because they seemed contrary to the way things were playing out...some things He spoke of, promised years ago, I have yet to comprehend or see how they will be accomplished. Yet He is Faithful, who will do it!

   There have been many more internal struggles, battles of the flesh, revelations of my sin and self that I have seen, hated, repented of and struggled in again.  I have questioned whether I would ever really get free, ever really learn this lesson, overcome this weakness or reflexive response, yet I am reminded that He who began a work in me, who revealed to me, enabling me first to see my mess, my brokenness is also the one who promises to complete the work in me and is more zealous to do so than I could ever be.  AND His Promises are YES and AMEN, unalterable.  He may not choose to release me in a moment. I may stumble time and again in order to learn lessons of overcoming, of character building much deeper and more lasting than even the desired transformation that I can see or long for.  
   It all comes down to whether I will be moved by what I see or unshaken though the mountains tremble and be thrown into the sea because I know...because I KNOW that my GOD is FAITHFUL and no power of heaven or hell, earth or all the things in it can ever change or alter this truth.  A Firm foundation like no other.  Great is His faithfulness.

Great is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee,
Thou changest not, Thy compassion's, they fail not,  
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be. 



Great is Thy faithfulness! 
Great is Thy faithfulness! 
Morning by morning new mercies I see. 
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, 
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above 
Join with all nature in manifold witness 
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. 

Chorus

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth 
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, 
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! 
Great is Thy faithfulness! 
Great is Thy faithfulness! 

Morning by morning new mercies I see. 
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 

   And as  I read these verses declaring the faithfulness of God, I see that His love and His faithfulness are intertwined, inseparable.  How could they not be as essences of His character, but maybe that's the key to our own faithfulness.  It's not some "grit your teeth" and "stick to your guns" decision that binds us but rather an overflow of love that walks itself out in a lifestyle of faithfulness one step at a time.
   If you need to ground yourself in God's faithfulness, soak in it, refresh your soul in it, the following is a link to many great verses about His faithfulness.  Ask Him to reveal His faithfulness to you, if you are struggling to see it. Go on.  I dare you!  See what He will do in His zeal to reveal Himself and lavish you with love.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/gods_faithfulness

Listen to the hymn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm-KsLytcW0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iwZ3Ym2BE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iEgs0WKR-c

Great Youtube video on the story behind the hymn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Q2OYHrwhc