Faithful God
Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 2:8-13
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself 2 Timothy 2:13
LOOK OVER THE following checklist, and check every circumstance in which you think God will be faithful to you or will still love you, still believe in you, and still expect the best from you:
____ If I eat all my vegetables at dinnertime
____ If I don’t eat all my vegetables at dinnertime
____ If I eat my brother’s vegetables at dinnertime
____ If I join the chess club
____ If I join a motorcycle club
____ If I join a CD, cassette tape, and videotape club
____ If I sell everything I own and give the money to the poor
____ If I sell everything my parents own and give the money to the poor
____ If I sell everything my parents own and keep the money
____ If I shave my sister’s head while she sleeps
____ If I shave my sister’s head while she’s awake
____ If I’m kind to children and animals
____ If I’m kind to children who act like animals
Now score yourself: if you left any item on the list unchecked, you don’t understand God’s faithfulness. If, on the other hand, you checked every single answer, you probably know something about God’s faithfulness that most people don’t understand.
You see, God isn’t like many of our friends and acquaintances. He isn’t faithful to us only when we act a certain way. He isn’t faithful to us only if we do what he wants. He is faithful to us no matter what, because faithfulness is a part of his nature; it’s part of who he is.
That’s what the Bible means when it says, “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13). He can’t stop being who he is, and since faithful is part of who he is, he can’t stop being faithful.
That means he will always love you, always believe in you, and always expect the best of you. He will never leave you, he will never betray you, he will never let you down. No matter what you do, he remains faithful-because that’s who he is.
REFLECT: Have you ever failed God? Have you ever ignored him? Disappointed him? If so, did he leave you or forsake you then, or was he faithful to you? (Remember that faithfulness isn’t just what God does; it’s part of who he is.)
PRAY: Look up the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” and read or sing it aloud as a prayer to God. (If you need help locating the hymn, ask your parents.)