Active Theology

“who keeps faithfulness for thousands, who forgives wrongdoing, violation of His Law, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, inflicting the punishment of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Exodus 34:7, NASB)

“I will”. I say that statement often. I like to be the one that’s dependable, the one that will get things done, and the one people can count on. This is especially true when it comes to my family. 

When my wife would like something done around the house, I am quick to say, “I will”. I make promises. I say I will clean the grout in the bathroom, mow the lawn, and put away some laundry. But I have a problem with being forgetful or putting things off. 

I love to say these “I will” statements. I want to follow through and deliver. But sometimes I over promise and let people down. 

I’ve been thinking about God’s faithfulness in contrast to human faithfulness. I know I made it sound like I never get anything done around the house, but I actually do succeed in finishing tasks from time to time. 

God delivers on His promises 100% of the time. 

In Exodus 34:6-7, as God reveals His character to Moses, He describes Himself as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, faithful, forgiving, and willing to pursue someone for however long it takes in order to rid their life of sin. Notice in the middle of all of this, God’s faithfulness is mentioned two times. Nothing else is mentioned twice in these two verses. That means God’s faithfulness is a big deal!

How does God show His compassion, mercy, grace, and forgiveness? He does it by being faithful. 

God makes covenant promises throughout Scripture. Within the Bible, we witness Old Testament promises come to fruition. Jesus is the answer to so many of God’s promises. God shows His faithfulness by sending His Son to the cross so that we can be forgiven. Over and over, we read about His faithfulness. When God says, “I will”, we need to pay attention. 

We can find comfort and hope in God because He will remain faithful. He promised that His presence will never leave us. He promised the gift of the Helper, the Holy Spirit. He promised that the death and resurrection of Jesus secures our eternal home. He promised that He will always be there listening when we pray. 

May we look to God, the one that is forever faithful and will never let us down. 

Pray: God, thank you for your faithfulness. Help me to put my trust in You. It’s easy to put my trust in myself, others, or possessions, but You are the One who is forever faithful. May You be the one I rely on and trust from now and into eternity.

Song: “Steadfast” by Sandra McCracken

Craig is a worship pastor at Wallula Christian Church and the creator of Active Theology. He loves coffee dates with his wife, reading, and riding his bike. A few of his favorite things are third wave coffee, vanilla ice cream, and plain t-shirts.