“9Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 10and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face.” — Deuteronomy 7:9-10 (ESV)
It is comforting to know that God is faithful in all. He is there for me whenever I need Him, even in the times when I am being attacked and persecuted for His glory. He remains there by my side and will take up the fight for me so that I am protected and safe from that which is outside of and contrary to His plan in my life.
This passage in Deuteronomy references God’s chosen people, the Israelite people to which He has promised. They will be cared for by the faithful God and provided the land He has promised.
There is more to it than just to sit back and wait for God to give everything to them, and even as God will give all to them, there is limits to that which is actually for them. In the passage and as I know, God gives to us that which we need, not that which we want. The Israelite people were to given the promised land and all of their foes would be defeated in God’s accomplishing of His will. Where there would be many spoils from the defeat of the foes, the only spoil that God allowed was that which He promised, the land. Any thing else left over was to be destroyed as that was not in God’s plan for the Israelite people.
And that is where the line is drawn for followers of God. I have a gift that is given to me by God. That gift is what I receive and nothing more. God faithfulness will provide and that is where my acceptance of His gift should be directed for thankfulness. I will not be “provided” with more than God has in His plan. I will not get more than He has for me. I will receive exactly what God has for me.
And to receive what God has for me, I must be faithful to His plan for me and my life for Him. God gives direction and instruction and it is my duty to follow His plan to the letter. I will be asked to take on some things and leave others. I will be given victory in some instances and in others I may see them as defeat. I must remain faithful to God and His plan and there is where I will experience His faithfulness in my life.
What experience in your life have you seen as a possible failure of God’s faithfulness? Are you expecting God to give you everything that you want? What if you received that which you were promised through God’s faithfulness and your expectation was for that which was outside of that promise?
Trevor's Thoughts 