Faithful is He!

Faithful is He

Sometimes a simple phrase from scripture can burn itself into our consciousness until we cannot escape the thought: At the moment mine is "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it" (1 Thessalonians 1:24. Looking at the wider context, the Bible is talking about our call to his grace which can forgive, can purify and keep us. This is our initial call and most important call. Looking at the context gives us this perspective. 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (NIV) — 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. What a glorious concept. We can be pure – we can be blameless, and we have nothing to fear if we simply respond to His wonderful leadership to let Him establish a relationship with us and to walk with us. 

I also realize, however, that even when one is purified by His power, God continues to call us to walk with him and to follow his will (calling) upon each of us. Yes - Remember who called you. As we walk through our “calling,” we discover that God has a place of service for each of us. That place is uniquely designed for his purpose for us, and what a joy it is to walk with him not only in relationship but also in service. Sometimes as you follow Him, however, you find that you need to be reminded of who it is that called you and upon whom you can rely both in good times and in challenging days. Even if the church or mission with whom you serves seems to let you down remind yourself that this may be a good thing: It forces us to recall who placed the call upon our lives initially. The confirmation of the body of believers is important as is a system of accountability as we fulfill our calling. But when He allows these significant others to disappoint – this is the time when we cry out to God and when we remember to whom we really belong and whom we are ultimately responsible. It is God who calls us – it is God to whom we give account for our faithfulness in obeying His call on our lives. And HE IS FAITHFUL.

I could try to express this concept in my own words, but I find the Psalmist did it better than I could in Psalm 46. He wrote: Psalm 46 (NIV) — 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

Yes, the scriptures say it so well. Though everything we thought we could count on sometimes seems remote and distant, still God is God. We can trust Him and the certainty that exists in our relationship and walk with Him. We also have great hope for our future as we realize who it is that is already in our Future – the God who created us and called us and sustains us. I have confidence in the call of God. It can hold me steady when tempted to opt out; it can provide assurance when I wonder where life is going; it can give peace both in good days and in stormy pathways as well. God is here and God cares, and God leads. I have witnessed anew a reminder of His call upon one’s life in recent days. Those who have known me since childhood know that, early on, I was aware of His call to cross-cultural mission partnerships with those from other lands and within other cultures. Over the years the Lord overcame the hurdles and barriers that would have prevented this from being a reality, but it has been a part of my life for decades now. What is refreshing to me is the realization that there is still more to do in the calling: God continues to provide opportunities and provision which were beyond my imagination. It is God who does it – I can rest and follow and obey. 

Thankfully, the called do not have to self-promote or scheme to see God use them within their calling. It is beyond us – it is God who opens doors, enables us when the task is bigger than our own capabilities and gives peace when the challenges present themselves. Now, at 76, I am overwhelmed with the ongoing sense of his calling to serve those for whom He gave His life. Surely, the way I function is not the same as when I was 26, but I take today and its opportunities as a wonderful gift from the Lord. Because Faithful is He who called you and He will do it. As I think of those who share the journey with me, I recall that some are facing discouragement and heartache – Remember He is with you, and He called you and He will see you through. I think of otHrs for whom everything is successful and fruitful – again remember that it is He who calls you and does the good work in which He allows you to partner. May we be free from arrogance and a sense of self sufficiency outside of Him. For those in deep grief I believe that this reminder is timely: God is calling you and leading you and He will walk with you through the grief and healing process – but He will bring you to lighter days ahead. He calls you – He leads you – He is faithful and He will see it through to completion.