From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “A God Who Is Faithful”, Day 1

A Faithful God and an Unfaithful People

The book of Judges presents a stark contrast between the faithfulness of God and the unfaithfulness of his people. It is astounding to consider that so soon after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, a generation arrived on the scene that neither knew the Lord nor the works that he had done for them. The very same nation who was an eyewitness to the stunning might of God had now forgotten him altogether. Their forgetfulness is seen in their ever-increasing propensity toward rebellion.

One would anticipate that their sin would prompt God to abandon his people forever. Yet, time and time again, an avalanche of God’s grace meets the faithlessness of the people. In fact, the text records God’s pity on the people and his attentiveness to their cries. Previously, Moses recounted how the people of God groaned because of their slavery and cried out to the Lord (Ex 2:23 – 25). These cries for deliverance were met by responses from the Lord. He heard their cries. He remembered the promises he had made in his covenant with them. He saw their need, and he knew their pain. This is the nature of the faithfulness of God — he hears, remembers, sees and knows.

Now, generations later, God heard the cries of his people and provided judges to lead them to victory. He did this despite the fact that they had demonstrated a perpetual inability to obey, even for a generation. God’s faithfulness is clearly not predicated on the goodness of his people. Rather, God’s faithfulness is founded on his character. He is a faithful God who always keeps his promises.

The faithfulness of God is the hope on which the Christian life is built. Those who know Jesus through repentance and faith can rest assured that God is faithful to his promises (1Co 1:9). He will not abandon his people, nor will he turn his back on them when they are unfaithful. Instead he hears, remembers, sees and knows. (Emphasis added by me) He hears the cry for mercy from those who know they are broken. He remembers his covenant, made long ago to Abraham, to save his people. He knows the needs of his people and, by virtue of Christ’s work, has made provision to meet those needs and restore them to a right relationship with him forever.

Today’s Prayer: 

Jesus, I thank you and praise you for your grace and faithfulness. Thank you for never giving up on me, even when I am ungrateful, rebellious and forgetful of your goodness. Amen.

My Thoughts

I have never been in slavery, captive by people who use me mercilessly. But I have been in slavery to sin, and God has freed me, not because of anything I have done but only because of His mercy and grace.

It is reassuring to know that God remains faithful even when we lose sight of the pathway He has us on and wander away. He is faithful to get us back on the right pathway and get us headed again in the right direction. God knows that we are human with all of the weaknesses and temptations that come along with it, and the good news is that He loves us anyway and is always faithful. He hears when we cry out to Him. I have a regular routine of praying daily, but that was not always the case. Even if I went days without acknowledging God (confession here: I am guilty of having done this in the past and know that I can fall into that pattern in the future if I allow myself to do so), once I called on the Name of the Lord, I felt Him draw near to me, ready to hear and answer my call. Why would He do that? Why would He be so faithful when I, and other humans, have a tendency to turn towards self-sufficiency instead of toward Him? Then the going gets rough and we turn to God. I have learned a big life lesson to always call on God, every day, no matter how I expect my day to go or what is going on in my life.

Having said all of this, I have a prayer request for a dear friend in PA. She was diagnosed with tongue cancer. No, she never smoked or used tobacco products, ever! That was last year. Now, it has progressed and she is on hospice care. We share a love of good Christian books and I have sent her some of my favorites via my daughter who attends her church. In fact, she taught all of my grandchildren there at one time or another. Please pray for Millie and her family. She has two sisters, one a twin, and I am sure that the knowledge that she only has a few months to live is devastating to them. I know it is breaking my heart; she is such a kind, sweet lady. I won’t tell you how to pray, but I am asking you to pray. God is faithful!