| CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DOCTRINE | May 2008 |
He is Faithful
IT HAS BEEN said that the distress of a crumbling civilization today is caused by broken promises. Human promises are not always intentionally broken, but circumstances arise which make it impossible to fulfill them. Man is not the master of his own destiny. He cannot foresee the future, nor can he judge even his present ability accurately. Hence he often finds it impossible to do what he has promised. This is not true with God.
Paul writes concerning God that “he is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23) We can depend upon the integrity of God. He does not change his mind, for with him there “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”—he is the “same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (James 1:17; Heb. 13:8) Nor is there any need for God to change his mind. He can foresee every eventuality that may arise, and is fully able to meet it. God is faithful to his promises, and abundantly able to fulfill them in keeping with the richness of his grace.
Have you been disappointed in your friends, your neighbors, your business associates, your fellow workers in the factory or office? Many of the Lord’s people have experiences along this line. At times we may even become disappointed in some of our own brethren in Christ. These experiences are discouraging, but God permits them for a purpose. He wants us to lean more fully upon him rather than trusting to the arm of flesh. It is when our trusted friends fail us that we should turn to him, and do so with the full assurance that ‘he is faithful that promised.’
To realize that those experiences in life that perplex and hurt are not evidences that the Lord has deserted us, but is permitting them for our good, helps us to bear up under trial. Even so, we feel our weakness. Courage will falter at times, and we need to be on guard lest we become weary in well doing. Were we left to fight our battles alone we would be certain to fail. The Father’s love will not permit this, for his promise is, “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”—Ps. 31:24