The Faithful God

The other day as I continued in my reading of the Old Testament, I came across a favorite verse of mine. Since I had memorized it over a year ago, I had completely forgotten the context. But I was delighted to see God in a new light through an old truth.

The Big Picture

In the book of 1 Kings we read the story of Solomon, son of King David, the man after God's own heart. In chapter 8 we read Solomon's recount of God's promise to David. What did God promise David?

"Then he said:
'Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David...My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name' ' " (1 Kings 8:15; 17-19).

God promised David that he would have a son who would build a temple for Him to dwell in. At this point in the book of Kings, Solomon has just finished building the temple and has just brought the Ark of the Covenant to the finished temple. Promise fulfilled. You might think that it was easy for Solomon to fulfill God's promise because he was the son. Yet Solomon gives the credit to God! If we look back a few chapters we can see why:

"Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:

'You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, 'Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name' ' " (1 Kings 5:2-5).

Building the temple for the Lord was no easy task and couldn't have been done without the peace that God provided with surrounding nations. One of the greatest reasons for this peace lied in Solomon's wisdom as a leader, of which God was the Source. In the building of the temple Solomon was merely the Lord's instrument and tool.

The Small Picture

Solomon realized how much of this fullfilment was God's doing when he worshipped the Lord in the book of Kings. It was then that Solomon stood before the altar and prayed aloud to God saying, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way" (8:23) Read that verse again. That was Solomon's response to God moving in his life. That day Solomon expressed a truth about God that his heart had come to know over the years of his life.

Solomon had discovered God to be faithful. So many times we throw that phrase around loosely, or sing it nonchalantly in our worship. It's something I am guilty of. We forget to consider some important details like: how is he faithful? faithful to do what? And it's here that Solomon's words ring loud and clear: "You...keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way."

Faithfulness has a lot more meaning when I read that. Step back a moment and consider what's going on. The wisest man to ever live on earth just declared that God is faithful to keep his promises. Isn't that amazing? And when I think back to some of the promises that I have read in the Old Testament, I find no different. When God says he will do something, he does it. When God makes a conditional promise to bless those who follow him with all their heart, you can be sure that He will do it! If God says that he will discipline you if you worship other gods, you can be sure that He will do it!

God is faithful to keep His word. All of His promises to you and me are sealed in His character to be fulfilled. How precious his words and his voice then become to me! How drastically this affects the way I live, knowing that every promise of God is a sure reality. I become more convinced everyday that a strong faith is not a blind faith. A strong faith is the result of a heart that intimately knows God as a faithful God, a God who keeps His promises.

In what ways has God shown Himself to you as the faithful God who keeps His word?

May you continue to strive for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation that you may know Him better.

The God of Reconciliation

This morning as I was reading the Word, I stumbled upon a jewel of revelation. I've been reading through the Bible according to a plan. This morning I read 2nd Samuel 14-17. This is a part of the story of David and his son Absalom.

The Big Picture:

David has two sons: Amnon and Absalom. Both were by different mothers. Absalom had a sister named Tamar. This would make Tamar a half sister of Amnon. Now Amnon becomes crazy with lust about his sister Tamar and rapes her. Absalom is furious and avenges his sister, killing Amnon. Absalom then flees for his life, because David, the king, wants to kill him. (2 Sam. 13)

The Small Picture:

Joab, the commander of David's army, tries to restore peace between David and his son Absalom. So Joab sends a messenger in disguise to king David and tells her what to say:

"The woman said, "Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son? Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him" (2nd Sam. 14:13-14).

Verse 14 immediately jumped out at me! I love what it reveals about God. I know that He is my source of life because, He created me. And I know that I was dead because of sin entering the picture.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23)

These verse tell me that God is not a God who desires to leave us dead. He desires to give us life again. He desires to bring us back to life! He desires to reconcile our relationship with Him. "He devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him." This is what God did through Jesus. Jesus was the way that we could be restored in relationship to God, just as Absalom was restored in relationship to David.

God is on our side :). He wants to help us everyday to "come back to life". He is always helping us to grow and be restored to what we were before the fall. He is our source of life and growth on whom we must lean daily. In doing so we will be transformed into the image of His Son and we can experience the most intimate and wonder-full relationship of all time. This is our God. May we still strive to know Him better.