He's Faithful to the Faithless

This year, I'm attempting to read through my Bible in a year, thanks to encouragement from my wonderful Bible study leader, Janet. (She gave more than encouragement, but at Bible study two weeks ago she generously gave all of us a Daily Bible in Chronological Order! I couldn't wait to start mine, so I went ahead and gave myself a head start. I never have been able to follow through with this goal, but last summer I put it on my "30 things to do before I turn 30" list, and so now seems as good a time as ever!) It's really wonderful to read through the Old Testament again. I have learned so much about grace and forgiveness in recent years, and it is moving to read about it so plainly in the Old Testament, a period of time often affiliated only with law and judgement.Our God is a God of mercy and grace. He is now and He was in the Old Testament too! He's the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes.

Today I read in Genesis 26, where Isaac lies to King Abimelech and tells him that Rebekah is his sister, not his wife. Of course he did this out of fear, not faith. And we all know where liars go, right? Like my seventh grade Spanish teacher said, "H-E -double hockey stick!" So then, what is the very next thing God does? I, for one, expected a chastisement of some sort. But I was so encouraged to find that God didn't define Isaac by his lack of faith. He didn't give him what his lack of faith deserved. Instead, God blesses Isaac (26:12).

I am so thankful that our God is One who does not love us or bless us conditionally, based on our faithfulness! Yes, we are sinners, but it is so freeing to come to the understanding that God loves us unwaveringly, even when our faith falters, even when we sin. How is this possible? Because in the end, it's not about me and how much faith or obedience I do or don't have. It's about the finished work of someone Other - someone who's faith did not falter - Jesus Christ. Miles J. Stanford probably says it better than I can:

Although we abide in the Lord Jesus as our position, we are ever aware of our condition in ourselves. We are concerned about the sinfulness of self, but no longer do we depend on improvement in that realm for our acceptance. We are resting in a position, in a Person who is fully and forever accepted by God, One in whom there is no improvement necessary or possible. We have exchanged unimprovable self for the perfect One..

What a safe and impregnable position is ours in Christ! "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and the high tower" (Psalm 18:2). When the "accuser of the brethren" points his maligning finger at the self-life within, at our condition in ourselves, seeking to get us to question our acceptance, we are able to rest in our position and point to Christ. We are well aware of self's unacceptability, but we are much more aware of our acceptance in the Beloved. The enemy can never touch Him, and our "life is hid with Christ in God" (Col 3:3). Satan may be the counsel for the prosecution, but we have two Counsels for defense - an Advocate at the throne, and an Advocate within - to say nothing of the fact that the righteous Judge is our Father!

So this morning I was reminded that NOTHING, not even my own sinfulness or fear (which is the opposite of faith), can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ! It always brings to mind one of my favorite verses: "If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." (2 Tim. 2:13)

It sure does make me feel lots of joy and peace on this coooold December day, don't you agree?