Old Faithful

In Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming “Old Faithful” is the name of the world’s best known geyser. Around 20 times a day the water gushes to the surface and shoots to a height of 100’ from a vent in the earth.  A combination of a regular water source and the heat from the magma below the surface create the show! It is the predictability of the geyser that makes it famous- hence the name – “Old Faithful.” 

Are you known as a faithful person, someone who keeps promises, shows up on time, on whom others can rely? Few things frustrate me more than making plans only to have them cancelled or changed at the last minute because the other person just fails to follow through. Conversely, what a joy it is to share life with those who are reliable, who do what they say they will do when they said they would do it!  Faithfulness is a kind of integrity and is one of the evidences of maturity.

 Jesus urges those of us who are disciples to be people who keep our promises for God’s sake. He says "Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37, NIV)  When we discipline ourselves to be faithful, to avoid over-promising or under-performing, we are like our Father!

God is a faithful God!  Paul tells us that "As surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” (2 Corinthians 1:18, NIV) 

 The confidence that Christians enjoy rests on the faithfulness of God. The Word says  "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 1:20-22, NIV)   

 You may be objecting at this moment remembering a moment when God seemed not to ‘come through’ for you.  “Jerry, I prayed and prayed but He did not answer.”   God’s faithfulness does not mean that He will always do what I want Him to do, nor will He act within the agenda I write for him. If that is how you are measuring His faithfulness, then you may will conclude that He is not. The Word assures us, and I add my ‘amen,’ that “He is faithful and true!”  His purposes are accomplished, His promises are kept, just not always as I would wish.

When I was a very young and headstrong (Imagine that could even be true! Wry smile) I took my little family on an adventure to a town 2000 miles from our home and family, certain of my plans and God’s blessing. For a year, my plans were frustrated and my dreams largely became nothing more than fantastic ideas.   

Ah, but with the perspective of nearly a half century, it is so very clear how God’s faithfulness was operating for us. In that short year, the Lord brought people into my life that transformed the basic understanding of my relationship with Him. I began to know Him, not as a distant deity served with duty based on fear of punishment, but rather as a loving Father, trustworthy and full of grace for me.  God, the faithful One, took my failures and turned them into an opportunity to lead me to greater spiritual maturity and deeper character.  While I lost the markers of success in life, my faithful Lord was preserving my family, my heart, my life in Him.

On this Monday morning, I encourage you to lean into the faithfulness of God, even if you are in situation that challenges your faith. If you have a made a mess of life, trust Him to guide you, step by step, to wholeness. If you are tempted by pride, feeling yourself so much better than those people that just will not pull their lives together, you too need to humbly lean into His faithfulness, for time will come when you realize you are NOT as fully in control of your life as you might think you are.  How I love this declaration of the old apostle who assures young Timothy - "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." (2 Timothy 2:13, NKJV)

The word from the Word is a rich promise.  Spend a moment committing these words to memory and recall them throughout the day, with a prayer of thankfulness.
“He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame
on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.
God will do this, for He is faithful to do what he says,
and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:8-9, NLT) 

Should we fail (And we will!) we must turn again to Him,
humbling acknowledging our need for a Savior, and
wait, in faith, for His purposes to emerge. (And they will!)

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Great Is Thy Faithfulness

(take 4 minutes and listen to Veritas worship our faithful God)

Great is Thy faithfulness
O God my Father
There is no shadow
Of turning with Thee
Thou changest not
Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been
Thou forever wilt 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

Pardon for sin
And a peace that endureth
Thy own dear presence
To cheer and to guide
Strength for today
And bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine
With ten thousand beside

Words: Public Domain