Faithfulness pt. 2
Hebrews 11-12:2, 1 Peter 4:19, Revelation 2:10
Yesterday, we talked about the undeserving faithfulness of a Holy God to disobedient and disloyal people. Today we read a whole chapter of how the power of faith moves in incredible ways. Hebrews gives an account of broken people who were empowered by the faith God had given them. Faithfulness can only come from God. It is from him we can have the faith to believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and rose again.
The same power that lives in us produces the faith to be obedient. We, on our own, cannot be faithful to God. We’ve seen that throughout the Old Testament - the very people God has chosen for himself rebelled against him over and over and over again. They often had a lack of faith - going back even further, Adam and Eve lacked faith that God was enough. What do we do about this? It seems bleak and hopeless, but we have hope in the truth that God has sent his Helper - the Holy Spirit, who produces faithfulness in us. Though the enemy is strong, we press into the Holy Spirit instead of pressing on in our own strength. We press in knowing that “Jesus who is the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2) is our example of pressing in with faith, trusting that God’s goodness and his glory will prevail. Jesus had faith in his father, and it is through that Spirit we can produce faith.
Why do you think when reading the Bible, God always asks his people to remember? We remember so that our faith is stirred, and when we look back on the faithfulness of God, we can endure the sufferings set before us with faith so bold. Faithfulness comes from clinging to the Spirit, clinging to the truth, and remembering the faithfulness of God. We can only be what God is. We can’t pretend, fake or make it up ourselves but only look to the source of the One who is all things good, all things glory, and all things steadfast.
Where do you tend to lack faith? Why is it hard to remain faithful?
Pray that God would help you to remember, to draw you near, and help you un-cling, control, and cling to the faith displayed on the cross.
