GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. Lam. 3:22, 23, R.S.V.
A husband and wife whose marriage had gone through some turbulent years were commenting on what had helped to hold them together. "We were never both down at the same time," he said. "When she was discouraged, I was optimistic; when I was troubled, she was steady. I'm afraid of what would have happened had we both been alienated at the same time."
A relationship as close as marriage, needing much energy and creativity to keep it vital, will quickly sour if both parties lose their commitment at the same time. In Jeremiah's bitter-sweet meditation, Lamentations, he freely admits that his people have wandered from their commitment to their Lord. They have been unfaithful, restless, even rebellious. Were their relationship with God to have been totally dependent upon their commitment, it surely would have died.
Knowing as he did that Israel's faith relationship with her Maker was absolutely necessary to her very existence, as well as to her people's eternal life, Jeremiah had cause to rejoice over God's faithfulness. How glad he was that they were not both down at the same time. In fact, Jeremiah was celebrating the good news that God never is down on His people, ready to annul the relationship for nonperformance. Every morning presents a new discovery of His mercies. He is the faithful one, regardless of our lack of loyalty.
Oh, how encouragingly this should speak to our hearts. We who often treat our friendship with God with studied neglect, who catch ourselves after the fact having ignored Him for lesser attractions, and who are more aware of having hurt Him than of having brought Him delight--how glad we should be that He is the faithful one!
Some have been concerned that a God who never says "I quit!" when His people keep walking away might lead them to be indulgent and presumptuous--to keep on sinning and wandering, always counting on God to "be there" when they get back. But God wants them to see that it is the wandering itself, not His possible rejection of them, that is so damaging. Disloyalty to God and His ways has its own built-in hurts; God doesn't need to add to them by His being unfaithful to us. Indeed, His faithfulness is intended to heal that hurting!
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. Lam. 3:22, 23, R.S.V.
A husband and wife whose marriage had gone through some turbulent years were commenting on what had helped to hold them together. "We were never both down at the same time," he said. "When she was discouraged, I was optimistic; when I was troubled, she was steady. I'm afraid of what would have happened had we both been alienated at the same time."
A relationship as close as marriage, needing much energy and creativity to keep it vital, will quickly sour if both parties lose their commitment at the same time. In Jeremiah's bitter-sweet meditation, Lamentations, he freely admits that his people have wandered from their commitment to their Lord. They have been unfaithful, restless, even rebellious. Were their relationship with God to have been totally dependent upon their commitment, it surely would have died.
Knowing as he did that Israel's faith relationship with her Maker was absolutely necessary to her very existence, as well as to her people's eternal life, Jeremiah had cause to rejoice over God's faithfulness. How glad he was that they were not both down at the same time. In fact, Jeremiah was celebrating the good news that God never is down on His people, ready to annul the relationship for nonperformance. Every morning presents a new discovery of His mercies. He is the faithful one, regardless of our lack of loyalty.
Oh, how encouragingly this should speak to our hearts. We who often treat our friendship with God with studied neglect, who catch ourselves after the fact having ignored Him for lesser attractions, and who are more aware of having hurt Him than of having brought Him delight--how glad we should be that He is the faithful one!
Some have been concerned that a God who never says "I quit!" when His people keep walking away might lead them to be indulgent and presumptuous--to keep on sinning and wandering, always counting on God to "be there" when they get back. But God wants them to see that it is the wandering itself, not His possible rejection of them, that is so damaging. Disloyalty to God and His ways has its own built-in hurts; God doesn't need to add to them by His being unfaithful to us. Indeed, His faithfulness is intended to heal that hurting!
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