Faithfulness for Faithfulness

[In reading back through my journals, I came across this entry from two Christmases ago. It's as poignant a thought now as it was then…]

Oh for more time… There have been countless things from recent days that I’ve been wanting to record in my journal yet alas, time is slipping through my fingers like water and so many things will probably remain unsaid. But I must tell of His faithfulness. He is always faithful… Faithful to sustain, faithful to give, faithful to comfort, faithful to love, faithful to bless, faithful to me. 

Throughout the past few weeks I’ve seen His faithfulness time after time despite my errors and mistakes. And I’ve been thinking back to His faithfulness over 2,000 years ago… when He faithfully sent His Son, His only Son, to redeem this wretched, lost world. 

                                     ~ ~ ~

I cannot even imagine the heart-wrenching tears shed that day, so long ago, when the Father gave up His Son. The pain, the agony of separation, the immeasurable sacrifice and most of all, the knowledge that victory is not necessarily certain. Eternity’s future rests upon the success of the mission. The wicked foe will try his hardest. 

All Heaven feels the solemnity of the moment. The final embrace, the final words, the final smile among tears as Son assures Father, “It is for love, Abba, for love… They are Ours. I must redeem them. There is no other way to pay the ransom. There is no other way to annihilate sin forever. There is no other way to demonstrate Your true character to the world. There is no other way for them to understand divinity except if displayed in humanity.” 

There is a pause. The unspoken pain of separation is felt. Father and Son have never been apart before. And through the eyes of Heaven, the reason for estrangement seems hardly worthy. Angels look on in wonder at how heavenly beings can treasure marred, sinful creations. Yet love is stronger. 

The Son speaks a last time with tears in His eyes. “Oh how much I love You, My Father! Oh how much I love You! ” And then He is gone. The throne sits empty. All heaven is silenced. The attention of the universe turns upon planet Earth, upon the young virgin, with growing stomach. 

After what seems like an eternity the momentous night arrives. The young couple arrange to sleep in a dirty stable. Sobs of angels ring throughout the heavenly courts, yet they know this must be. All Heaven holds its breath. Suddenly a penetrating cry breaks the atmospheric silence. Jesus is born. Heavenly beings look on in astonishment, hardly comprehending that the tiny bundle could be the King of the universe, the One who just days before was commanding the heavens. Yet indeed it is He, born a helpless, tiny babe, born to save.

For thirty-three years heaven continues in tense observation. The throne remains empty. Joyous songs remain dimmed. Once again we find a silent Heaven anxiously observing another night in history. Yet this time, it is not a baby’s cry they hear but a cry of heartbreaking anguish and soul-wrenching pain. They see Him, apparently forsaken by even His Father, still acknowledge His love and forgiveness to the undeserving. Sobs again fill the atmosphere of heaven. Finally a cry rings throughout the universe. “It is finished.” All Heaven stirs. Victory is assured. The King has conquered! 

Eager anticipation mounts as angels are selected to make the triumphant flight to earth. Heaven sits on the edge of its seat, waiting… Finally the command is given. Trumpets sound and the quickest flight to earth is made. The leading angel throws the stone aside. Moments seems to drag by. Suddenly there is movement within the dark and dusty grave. Christ steps forth victorious! 

After remaining on earth just long enough to comfort the heart of a weeping woman, Christ ascends to His Father. He has waited thirty-three years for this. Tears mingle with smiles as Father once again embraces Son. Heaven is reunited. Finally the Father speaks. “Welcome home, My Beloved and Only Son… You have vanquished the foe. You have conquered sin forever.” Angel voices chorus, “Hallelujah!” 

And yet, though sin was defeated over 2,000 years ago, our world still exists in its deplorable state. The reason? We have not returned faithfulness for faithfulness. Human hearts have waxed cold. Christians are content to live a lukewarm existence. I see careless indifference on every side. My soul burns with agony. 

But like the faithful few of long ago, there are a handful today who recognize the faithfulness of the Father. Although the depth of sacrifice is beyond human compensation, they loyally give what they can in return—their faithfulness. 

Will I be found faithful to Him who has given all for me? 

Among Few

{Jeremiah 40}

The choice was offered to the prophet. 

Would he prefer to remain with the poorest of the poor that even the king of Babylon spurned? Or would he decide to accompany the captain to Babylon where he would be generously cared for?

Jeremiah chose the path of privation, of hardship, of adversity. Why?

Because status and wealth on earth has no effect upon God’s estimate of your value. The orphan child or penniless widow are held in equal esteem with the kings of nations. Nay, perhaps more. Because the hearts of poverty are often receptive hearts. 

And so Jeremiah remains among the few. Because here he knows his hearers will be more open-minded.

Never despise the poor, the few. It may just be where God is calling you.

Mercy Twice-Over

{Jeremiah 39}

After almost two years of seige, Jerusalem fell into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, proving that the countless prophecies of Jeremiah could not be ignored. Although Zedekiah had listened to the counsel of the Lord, he had neglected to follow His commands. Now he was to pay the consequences—bitter consequences.

Yet in the midst of terrible slaughter and captivity, God still shows mercy. Still…

My mind is baffled by such unquenchable Love. My heart is drawn by His compassion. This is the God I adore.

Mercy twice-over. 

A simple act of kindness by a foreign eunuch. 

Ebedmelech, a Jewish stranger, is rewarded with life—life temporal and life eternal—because he placed his trust in Him. God takes notice of the littlest acts of love.

A life of resolute obedience to the voice of God.

Jeremiah, the Hebrew seer, who has been insulted and despised for the cause of God, receives incredible favor from a heathen king. Liberty and safety was granted him. Imagine being told that whatever you say, the captain has been commanded to obey. God never forgets His servants.

Mercy twice-over. Two men rewarded for faithfulness. 

One God who always works all things together for good to them that love Him. Always…

God Always Has Friends

{Jeremiah 38}

They were completely false charges, and the king knew it. But he was too weak in character to resist the princes. So he feigned agreement with them, and gave the prophet into their hands for them to do whatever they pleased.

Jeremiah was thrown into a dark, damp, smelly, miry cistern. Not a pleasant place for any individual, much less God’s prophet.

The faithful prophet patiently and unswervingly clung to his God whom he knew would not fail him. Whatever God deemed fit for him to endure, Jeremiah would endure it with joy. But God had other plans.

In the court of kind Zedekiah was an Ethiopian eunuch. This man was a friend of God. And God laid upon his heart to petition on behalf of His prophet. Request granted, Ebedmelech proceeded to arrange for Jeremiah’s rescue. Ropes would be necessary to extract him from the cistern, but the raw ropes would not hurt his friend. No, with a tender heart the eunuch provided old soft rags for Jeremiah to use in order to bring him up with comfort.

God always has friends.

Regardless of your status, your age, your ethnicity, God wants you to be His friend. He wants to use you to bless the lives of others. And kindness given is always repaid in greater measures.

Will you be a friend of God?

Warped Priorities

{Jeremiah 35}

“You shall drink no wine…”

Just a mortal command. Yet the whole extended family for generations would not violate it. 

Discussion over. No variance.

Then there was the divine command. And it seemed the entire nation reveled in its violation.

Why the dichotomy? Why, I ask myself, could the mortal command be so exonerated and the divine command so disregarded and trampled on the ground?

Is it because their sense of priorities had been warped? 

Because their senses had been dulled to that which was most important?

Ouch. 

Those questions hit a little too close to home. I’ve been pondering them already and making changes. I can’t afford to have my priorities warped and my senses dulled to that which is eternally important. No, for to do so would to be to pronounce my own sentence. And it would not be a sentence in my favor…

Our adversary likes to take subtle measures with our culture. And unconsciously our priorities shift to what might still appear harmless, yet isn’t where we should have our primary focus. It’s a sobering thought. 

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” {1 Corinthians 10:12}

Running With Horses

{Jeremiah 12}

It is a question of endurance. Of strength. Of ability.
An unequivocal test of competence.

For if running with footmen over gentle terrain engenders fatigue,  
How can you expect to keep up with horses through tempestuous rivers?

If we tire in this life of peace and prosperity, there is serious concern for the future.
Now is when we are to train alongside the footmen and learn to tire not…

For soon we shall be contending with horses in the swelling of Jordan,
facing hardships we never dreamed existed.

Then it will be evidenced whether we were faithful in our training.

Endurance and strength are not built in a day.
Learn to run with footmen today so that you may run with horses tomorrow…

To Find One Faithful…

{Jeremiah 5}

“If you can find a man… I will pardon it.” {Jeremiah 5:1}

Just one. One individual with only two qualifications: execute justice and seek truth.

Could that be so hard to find amid a nation of professed people of God?
One earnest seeker and honest citizen?

Yet they had repeatedly neglected their spiritual relationship with their heavenly Father. They were not upholders of justice or seekers of truth. And because they had so completely spurned His gift of mercy, consequences must follow and His protecting hand be removed.

A high price to pay for disobedience.

I want to be one found faithful…

Just One Stitch

In the tapestry of life, we are each just one stitch.
Seemingly insignificant? Maybe.
But only to the untrained eye…

After knitting many projects over the years, I’ve learned that in order for the resulting texture to be strong and beautiful, there must be no dropped stitches, no mistakes. You may be able to hide them for a time, but eventually there will be problems.

If even a single stitch is dropped, twisted or flawed, the texture is ruined. And the seemingly insignificant lost stitch, will influence the others around it, until there is a gaping hole in what was originally designed for perfection.

--

Your life is just one stitch.
Your faithfulness could affect the destiny of thousands.

Will you allow the Master Knitter to fashion you into a faultless stitch?

Staked for Fulfillment

Glory. Honor. Heaven. All at risk of being nullified. And by what? A promise of faithfulness… And to whom? Unworthy, sinful beings who call this blighted earth home.

Just as Christ risked all Heaven when He stooped to uplift fallen humanity, He yet again puts the whole of eternity on the line.

“The honor of His throne is staked for the fulfillment of His word unto us.” {Christ’s Object Lessons, 148}

Everything is staked on the fruition of a promise. If His word fails, even once, the entire plan of salvation will be obliterated forever. Yet Christ will jeopardize the honor of His throne merely to offer us the choice of eternal life.

This sacrifice cannot be taken lightly. He has pledged the entirety of heaven’s resources to secure our deliverance. Will we not risk every earthly loss for heavenly gain?