“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” Malachi 3:6
Do you ever find yourself deeply moved by the words of a song? Something in the lyrics just resonates deeply within you. You connect with the truth of what is being proclaimed in song.
This happened again recently with a song by Elevation Worship called Same God. Here is the chorus:
O God, my God, I need You
O God, my God, I need You now
How I need You now
O Rock, O Rock of ages
I'm standing on Your faithfulness
On Your faithfulness (1)
Same God is based on the truth of Malachi 3:6 – that God does not change. The big theological word for that is that God is immutable. But how should knowing the truth that God is unchanging affect me as a Christ-follower? There are probably multiple ways to answer that question, but my simple answer is this: remembering God’s faithfulness in the past should help solidify my trust in Him in the present.
As you listen to the song, it speaks of real people in the Bible - Jacob, Moses, Mary, and David - and how they cried out to the Lord God in their time of need. And each of them would see God’s faithfulness in their life and in their circumstances. They did not always see it in the way they might have prayed for or expected, but, without a doubt, they each personally experienced His faithful work in their lives.
So, when you and I are in difficult situations or seasons, we need to remember the lives of Jacob, Moses, Mary, David, and others, and trust in the same God who was faithful to them. God is, indeed, the same yesterday, today, and forever!
But in order to try to understand what it means for God to be faithful, we need to make sure we come to grips with what God being faithful does not necessarily mean. This is important so that you are not confused about what “God being faithful” really means.
God being faithful does not always mean you will always get what you pray for. His wisdom and His faithfulness work together so that He gives us what we need, not always what we ask for. Paul asked multiple times for God to remove his “thorn in the flesh”, and yet God did not answer that request. Paul learned that God’s grace was sufficient for living with his thorn.
God being faithful does not mean He will rescue us from every difficult circumstance we have in our lives. He often allows difficult circumstances in our lives so that we will grow to be more dependent on Him, rather than our own ability. The life of Joseph is a great example of this. God did not rescue him from being sold by his brothers into slavery, or being thrown into prison for a crime for which he was falsely accused. Joseph trusted in God’s faithfulness to him even though he did not fully understand why these things were happening to him.
But now that you can better understand what God being faithful does not mean, let me give you a multitude of Scriptures that you can read, soak in, and maybe even memorize. The idea behind this being so that the Holy Spirit can help you replace any fear and doubt with the truth of those Scriptures. Here are some of my favorites – there are many more to be discovered in the pages of your Bible!
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies. Psalm 36:5
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You have established Your faithfulness in heaven itself. Psalm 89:1-2
If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is. 2 Timothy 2:13
For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:5
(Joshua speaking) “Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed! Joshua 23:14
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
We can grow in our trust in God’s faithfulness in all the ways I have shared: from looking at the lives of the real people we find in the Bible AND by knowing and meditating on Bible passages that remind us of how faithful God really is. But there is one more way we can grow in our trust in God’s faithfulness. And that is by remembering how He has been faithful in our own lives.
Here are just two examples of many I could share from my own life. The first was God bringing about healing in a close relationship with a family member, when I thought there was no hope of true reconciliation. I thank Him for that supernatural work in me and in that family member. And the second example was the Lord bringing His provision for a vehicle we needed to replace. And He did this in a way that only He could get the credit for it!
I encourage you to take some time to think back in your own life. Where can you see His footprints of faithfulness in your life? God’s Word tells you that He has never left or forsaken you, especially in the times you desperately cried out to Him.
But as true as His faithfulness is, our trust in that faithfulness will be tested. Here is what one author says on this: “But the real challenge to our belief in God’s faithfulness is when we continue to experience unanswered prayers and when the trials of life begin to squeeze us like a lemon in a juicer. It’s hard, it’s sour, it doesn’t feel right. Can we still say and believe that God is faithful during those seasons?” (2)
You and I can stand firmly -- not in our ever-changing circumstances -- and not in our resolve to try harder tomorrow – but in God’s unchanging faithfulness and goodness to us as His adopted children! The Scripture says that He is a Rewarder of those who seek Him!
As I think again about the lyrics of the song, I am brought back again and again to these words: “I’m standing on Your faithfulness…. On Your faithfulness”.
Where else can we stand?
PRAYER: Lord, thank You that You alone are the Rock on which I can confidently stand! I praise You because Your faithfulness reaches to the skies and stands to all generations. Help me, like Paul and Joseph, to truly trust in Your faithfulness in my life, especially in the hard seasons when I do not understand what You are doing. Thank You that every promise You have made is true. Help me to walk in confidence in Your faithfulness each and every day. In the Name of Jesus!
Questions to Consider:
1) As you think back on your life, where are the places and times that you see God’s faithfulness being displayed? Have you ever shared those with others who are close to you to encourage their walk with Jesus?
2) What are some areas in your life that you need to take a step to trust in God’s faithfulness in that situation? What Scripture(s) will you hold on to and pray in faith?
Sources:
(1): Band: Elevation Worship, Song: Same God from their Lion Album.
2) Quote taken from Ligonier Online Post: What God’s Faithfulness doesn’t mean.
Written by Glen Solberg, Abiding Marriage, 2023. Send comments or questions to
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash