The faithfulness of God

Growing up in a large family, I may have experienced disappointments during my early years. Perhaps I didn’t receive the back-to-school supplies I desired or missed out on specific opportunities that may have seemed significant at the time.
But as I have grown older, I have found that I remember fewer of those childhood disappointments with each passing year. Instead, what stands out to me are the years of togetherness we shared as a family. We were always there for one another, and the faith and trust of our parents held us together.
We were a family of seven with one bathroom. Nonetheless, I cannot recall anyone fighting over their turn. We gathered at the family table three times daily to share a meal. The house was always clean, and the laundry was always folded and put away. I have concluded that our home flowed so harmoniously because of our parents. Mom and Dad built our home on the unity of their relationship, but the core of our family was their faith in God.
I know we struggled, as all families do, for there were some weeks when those daily meals included multiple servings of macaroni and cheese and freshly baked biscuits. Nonetheless, our parents did not look at the hardship but trusted God to carry them through. They depended upon God’s faithfulness.
In the Old Testament, the Prophet Jeremiah wrote about his struggle against the hard times of life. Jeremiah wrote that all his splendor had left him. He had lost hope. He was afflicted and bitter. Still, Jeremiah decided not to look at his circumstances but instead to think about God’s great love, which was continual toward him. He recalled God’s faithfulness and that the Lord’s mercies were new every morning. He knew God would not fail him because God had always remained compassionate toward His people (Lamentations 3:18-24).
God’s faithfulness to us is reciprocal in the sense that it is based on a loving relationship. The more we trust God and follow His ways, the more we experience His faithfulness. As we seek Him and strive to live according to His will, He blesses us with His presence. However, our faithfulness to God is not about earning His favor or rewards but rather about living in a way that honors Him and brings glory to His name. He is faithful to us even when we fall short, but it is our responsibility to remain faithful to Him and to trust in His unfailing love and grace.
Our parents followed the reciprocal faith pattern of faithfulness from God to man and from man to God. We learned from their example that strengthening our faith would help us when we face life’s challenges. Even though I am sure some encounters weakened their faith, they never let go of God’s promises of provision and protection. Through their faith, we learned that the Heavenly Father will always make a way in the wilderness and give us a stream in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19).
I don’t know where you are now, but I am sure that God’s faithfulness is with you. His mercies are new every morning. If you are in a storm, look for a place of refuge beneath the shadow of His wings. Our Father promises to rescue those who trust Him (Psalm 57). Allow His faithfulness to rescue you today. Keep pushing forward, and know you are never alone in this journey.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge. His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart (Psalm 91:4).

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.