Remember the Faithful One!

Facebook has a feature where they share memories of pictures and statuses that you posted on a particular day over the last several years. It allows you to take a look back at the people, places, and things that you found important during different times of your life. It’s amazing to be reminded of how your children looked and how your relationships may have changed. Some of the people that were so prevalent in your life in 2009 may not even be in your life anymore. Your situation might be better or worse than it was in 2012 but what a reminder of how God will keep you from year to year. As I looked at my memories this morning, I heard the Lord say, ‘I was there all the time.’ My immediate response to that was ‘I know! That’s not news, God! You are always there.’ But He then said,” and that doesn’t change.” Ahhhhhh! I got it! Remember the faithful One!

You know, it’s pretty easy to lose sight of God’s presence when the enemy overwhelms you with his. Sometimes, the level of the attack and the size of the circumstance can make you shift your mind and focus away from what you know to be true about God. Whereas on Sunday, you are shouting and praising God for bringing you through; on Friday, when your check is short and you can’t make your rent, you are in distress wondering what to do next. For the strong saints, it might be during that season when everything is working in ministry and your annual revival or conference flowed perfectly and then the next year, you can’t get anything to come together. It’s those times that God is saying, Remember Me and My faithfulness.  I love what Moses tells the Israelites in Deuteronomy 7 about being chosen people. It’s a wonderful reminder of why God does what He does and why we should stick close to what He says.

“God wasn’t attracted to you and didn’t choose you because you were big and important—the fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love, keeping the promise he made to your ancestors. God stepped in and mightily bought you back out of that world of slavery, freed you from the iron grip of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know this: God, your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him and observe his commandments for a thousand generations. But he also pays back those who hate him, pays them the wages of death; he isn’t slow to pay them off—those who hate him, he pays right on time. So keep the command and the rules and regulations that I command you today. Do them.” (Deut. 7: 7-10 MSG)

Do you see what God is saying? It doesn’t matter what is coming against you today or what your past looks like, God is faithful and He LOVES you! He brought you out of darkness, pain, depression, grief and will continue to do so because He is God and He loves you. He wants you to be your best YOU. Have you thought about the fact that without the things that you have gone through, you wouldn’t be who you are today? Can you look back over your life and see God’s faithful hand? When you were a single unwed mother, didn’t He provide direction and guidance even though sometimes it was hard to hear? When you were partying the night away, didn’t He protect you from yourself over and over again, even though you had to get sick sometimes? When you lost your job, didn’t he send provision in the most unexpected ways, even though you had to go without your wants sometimes? Do you see that God is a faithful and present help in the time of trouble? 2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” It doesn’t say that you won’t have to learn some lessons but it does say that He will give you what you need to not be taken over by the enemy. Come on here, saints!

When I think about the goodness of Jesus and all He’s done for me, my soul cries out HALLELUJAH! Thank You for saving me! Thank You for being there for me! Thank You for being consistent and dependable! Thank You for loving me in spite of me! That’s the Word. “He keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations!” (Deut. 7:9 NKJV) Don’t you worry one more second about how you will survive or how this or that is going to turn out. If God has ordained it, He will perform it! 2 Timothy 2:13 says that “if we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny himself.” (2 Tim 2:13 NKJV) He’s so good that even when we lose faith, He doesn’t, because it’s not who He is! Remember the faithful One, He will see you through!

Amen