Saturday, October 9, 2010

Papa has been speaking to me about faithfulness.
To keep a commitment one needs to be faithful. Will I be faithful to that which I have committed myself?
Faithfulness starts with the small things. Jesus said that if we are faithful in the little things we will be faithful in the big stuff. You see if we practice being faithful in the day-to-day living it will be easier for us to stay faithful when the big things come and there is no doubt that they will!
Fear can get in our way of keeping on that track. We need to take courage!
David Jeremiah commented on this. "Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is persevering in spite of the fear."
It is a choice, as usual. I choose to commit myself to something and determine to be faithful. When the fear rises up I find courage, not in myself and my commitment, but in the One Who called me to the path. I don't wait for the fear to leave, but cling to my God and find courage, because of Who He is.
While reading in Hosea today I found more about faithfulness. It is something the LORD looks for in His people. Loyalty is another word for it.
Hosea was God's prophet, thus he was His spokesman. God's people were not faithful. What was the cause of this condition? The absence of knowledge. They did not know their God intimately, nor had they given themselves to the study of His Word. This lack leads not only to unfaithfulness, but ruin!
Very sobering.
But before I could start down the path of how short I fall and what a wretch I am Papa turned me to another passage.
In the first chapter of Ephesians I read from The Message, "How blessed is God! And what a blessing He is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him. Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son."

What faithfulness! What commitment! He chooses to bless us and make us His own, not because of anything we have done, but just because He loves us. He planned it all before there was even a planet called Earth!
That life verse of mine from First Thessalonians come to mind. "Faithful is He who called you, Who also will do it!"
All I have to do is hang on to Him. Even the strength to do that comes from Him. What a comfort!

Today both Ray and I needed that reminder. My honey has been experiencing quite a bit of pain in his arm. He's been very uncomfortable. For the first time since coming home from Glendale he asked for something to help with the pain.
It is a great comfort to know that our God, who has not left us yet, is totally faithful and will carry us through this and whatever else comes our way.

I am eager to see who He brings to our door tomorrow at five in the evening. What part of His body will be pulling up chairs and joining our life? Who will be gathering together to share in the joy of belonging?
No matter who does come, may each one find encouragment to continue on in faithfulness, confident that He will do it!

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