Faithfulness

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“Now therefore, revere the Lord and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness;” (Joshua 24:14 NRSV)
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Faithfulness is a habit formed by long, hard obedience. It is submitting with a ‘Yes, Lord’ that creates a committed life in the simple, mundane things as well as the extraordinary.
Faithfulness is what we do when no else is watching and whether we see a result or not. Faithfulness is not a haphazard, once off occurrence, regular habit that never gives up.

Let’s think upon Jesus, who is faithfulness personified. He loved faithfully. In weariness, in physical torment, in times of ridicule and rejection and in joyous moments of celebration. Jesus gave of Himself. Always. To His earthly end. And His love still keeps going. Faithfully. To each of us. Without hesitation.
 
Therefore ‘Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 2:5), so that we might ‘walk, just as He walked’ (1 John 2:6). So what does faithfulness look like for us?  Rising early to be with our Father before the demands of the day overtake; loving upon the child or teenager who doesn’t love back; staying with our partner and keeping our marriage vows, no matter how hard; loving the unloving neighbour, working hard and showing up to do the next right thing God has given us to do, wherever He has placed us. And much, much more.
 
On that day it will be our faithfulness to loving God, obeying His Word and loving others that will matter most. Nothing else. And His reward will be great. Faithfulness: may it be our highest calling and a holy habit defining who we are and how we live.

​Jennifer Woodley
South-East Queensland, Australia - info@grace-lines.net