| Revelation 2:10 – “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” |
This morning, I was looking around, sizing up the crowd during worship. We have bounced back from our “covidizing” size. I thought about how we have to be faithful in so many things. God wants us to be faithful in our attendance, in answering the bell at each opportunity. I was glad I was there today. I saw a friend that I had not seen in many years. His 18 year old son was with him. I have known his father for 36 years, and him as long as well. I felt blessed to see him again. If I had been somewhere else, I would have missed out.
As we took communion, the leader asked us to think of a gift we have received. “How did it make you feel?” I don’t know why my mind went there, but I immediately thought of a big long box I received one Christmas from my parents. It was a piece of trim chrome for my 1963 Chevy Bel Air. I promptly installed it. I assumed the previous owner had run into a short parking lot post and ripped it off. I had not had it on the car very long and I did the same thing. I decided it was not meant to have one. Similar to the time I got a new Fastback electric razor, and dropped it the first time I used it and damaged it. Bad beginnings.
Back to faithfulness. I need to be faithful to God in doing what He wants, obeying Him. I have a wife to be faithful to. Part of that (a big part) is getting out of bed day in and day out and going to work, on time, and putting in a fair day’s work. Week in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out, decade in and decade out.
We attended a wedding yesterday. Very traditional vows. I promised my wife things on our wedding day. I promised to keep myself to her only. No third party in our wedding bed. I promised to be faithful in sickness and in health, for better or worse, until death parts us. That involved a lot of doing things I may not feel like doing. Faithfulness is a lot of sameness. It could be described as boring. Routine. But it is a treasure to be sought. A faithful spouse. A faithful employee. A faithful Christian. A faithful friend. I have been told lots of things and asked to not tell anyone. A friend who can keep a secret is a treasure. Father in heaven, thank You for your faithfulness to Your promise to Abraham, even when we have not been faithful to You, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
-Jeff Beall
