Faithfulness Will Count in the End!
One of my deepest areas of respect about military life is the commitment to leave no soldier stranded or left behind in enemy territory, No one believes and practices that more than the Marines. This value is full both of honor and valor, but it is also a basic core belief which conditions military life in general. I like that, in fact, I love it!
This value does not stand alone as an exception to just the military. It stands equally as a core value of who God is and how God deals with each of us as His children. At the center of this ideal is the character of God Himself. The reality of life demonstrates that we often are unfaithful either to the things we have learned or simply know are right. In the heat of the battle of life, we break down and lose focus on being faithful to our core principles. Whether or not it makes sense is not the point. We just do. Paul said something vitally important to Timothy, his son in the faith in 2 Timothy 2:13 when he declared,
If we are faithless, He remains faithful--for He cannot deny Himself.
There are three key truths mentioned here that can and should change your attitude towards God and how He faithfully deals with you each day.
First, we are going to fail God through unfaithfulness to His plan in our lives. That is a certainty. We don't plan on it, and we don't deliberately set out to do it, it just happens. Now some will say at this, "No, I have never deliberately been unfaithful to God!" But thats just the point! Many times unfaithfulness to God happens despite our best efforts. Why? Because we still can sin, and we still live in a sinful world. Let me give an example. God commands me to bring"every thought" into captivity to Christ. Do I do it? I try to do it, but I do fail in my efforts. I was driving yesterday and spoke out in the car (not out the window) in an unkind way to a fellow driver. The driver of the car was not being considerate of other drivers, and I took it upon myself to be both his judge, jury, and executioner! Not good when you are attempting to "walk in the Spirit, and not fulfull the lusts of the flesh!"
Secondly, even though I am unfaithful at times, this does not affect God's commitment to be faithful to me. The text states,
He remains faithful.
This word “remains” means to abide or to stay unchanged in position. It reminds me that God's response to me is always consistant with who He is, not who I am! His faithfulness never changes or is altered by circumstances, pressure, or uncertainty. The created world around us attests to this unalterable nature of God's faithfulness. The sun, gravity, solar system, photosynthesis, water cycle, and the cycle of life itself loudly declare the faithfulness of God every single day! This is who God actually is!
Thirdly, God cannot deny Himself and act inconsistantly with His own character. He remains fixed because He cannot change or ever be less than His eternal character. Notice how the apostle made this statement. There is nothing arbitrary or subjective about it. It is a simple impossibility! In other words, not only will it never happen, it could never happen.
Now let's make the application to you and me. We are going to fail at times to be faithful to God, HIs Word, and His ultimate plan for our lives. However, that will never affect or change His faithfulness to me......ever! Instead of causing us to be flippant or unfocused in our walk with God, this should deeply encourage us to greater efforts to both serve and honor God with our lives. Paul said it best and in the strongest terms in Romans 12:1:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Just remember, your faithfulnes will count in the end!
This value does not stand alone as an exception to just the military. It stands equally as a core value of who God is and how God deals with each of us as His children. At the center of this ideal is the character of God Himself. The reality of life demonstrates that we often are unfaithful either to the things we have learned or simply know are right. In the heat of the battle of life, we break down and lose focus on being faithful to our core principles. Whether or not it makes sense is not the point. We just do. Paul said something vitally important to Timothy, his son in the faith in 2 Timothy 2:13 when he declared,
If we are faithless, He remains faithful--for He cannot deny Himself.
There are three key truths mentioned here that can and should change your attitude towards God and how He faithfully deals with you each day.
First, we are going to fail God through unfaithfulness to His plan in our lives. That is a certainty. We don't plan on it, and we don't deliberately set out to do it, it just happens. Now some will say at this, "No, I have never deliberately been unfaithful to God!" But thats just the point! Many times unfaithfulness to God happens despite our best efforts. Why? Because we still can sin, and we still live in a sinful world. Let me give an example. God commands me to bring"every thought" into captivity to Christ. Do I do it? I try to do it, but I do fail in my efforts. I was driving yesterday and spoke out in the car (not out the window) in an unkind way to a fellow driver. The driver of the car was not being considerate of other drivers, and I took it upon myself to be both his judge, jury, and executioner! Not good when you are attempting to "walk in the Spirit, and not fulfull the lusts of the flesh!"
Secondly, even though I am unfaithful at times, this does not affect God's commitment to be faithful to me. The text states,
He remains faithful.
This word “remains” means to abide or to stay unchanged in position. It reminds me that God's response to me is always consistant with who He is, not who I am! His faithfulness never changes or is altered by circumstances, pressure, or uncertainty. The created world around us attests to this unalterable nature of God's faithfulness. The sun, gravity, solar system, photosynthesis, water cycle, and the cycle of life itself loudly declare the faithfulness of God every single day! This is who God actually is!
Thirdly, God cannot deny Himself and act inconsistantly with His own character. He remains fixed because He cannot change or ever be less than His eternal character. Notice how the apostle made this statement. There is nothing arbitrary or subjective about it. It is a simple impossibility! In other words, not only will it never happen, it could never happen.
Now let's make the application to you and me. We are going to fail at times to be faithful to God, HIs Word, and His ultimate plan for our lives. However, that will never affect or change His faithfulness to me......ever! Instead of causing us to be flippant or unfocused in our walk with God, this should deeply encourage us to greater efforts to both serve and honor God with our lives. Paul said it best and in the strongest terms in Romans 12:1:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Just remember, your faithfulnes will count in the end!
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