Faithfulness … stay at your post, man!
9/24/2013 7:19:25 PM
Sept 22, 2013~Faithfulness/1 Timothy #2 in series
Faithfulness … Stay at your Post, Man!
Key verse: But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3.3
Showing up is half the battle in life. Guess it was Woody Allen who said something like that. Accordingly, a big part of being faithful is just showing up, again and again … being where you said you would be, staying committed—in friendship, marriage, and work responsibilities … and certainly in matters of faith!
Paul was a stellar example of someone who stayed at his post. Look what he wrote to the Corinthians: “Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly … in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.1
faithful~having or showing true and constant support or loyalty. : deserving trust : keeping your promises or doing what you are supposed to do.
“People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly”
Paul describes situations of life that he faced, that most of us never will—things like being assaulted by a mob and beaten. He was imprisoned seven different times, not because he was a criminal but because his message of Christianity was not the least popular. Preaching Christ as king was an affront to the Roman government and to his Jewish culture. Yet, he persevered . . . joyfully. He points out here that as he endured these things, people were watching how he would react. After all, he could have renounced his faith and been home free. Instead Paul stayed at his post knowing he might be “ignored by the world, but recognized by God”.
“Continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” In essence, Paul is saying, “Christ Follower: Stay the Course…stay at your post.” He had earlier told the Corinthians, ‘Be strong, immovable in your faith…’2 Why should we remain faithful? It is the essence of the Christian life and shows our desire to remain close to the heart of God, and our willingness to obey him.
How is it possible to remain faithful in a godless world? Because “He who called you is faithful…”3 Indeed, we serve a faithful God, who is trustworthy … who is, and who does what his Word says of him.
Yes, “the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”4 Christian, we are to stay the course because God is faithful, it is what he asks of us, and he promises to give us the strength we need. And besides, people are watching you and me when we go through life, especially difficulties in life. How do we fare? Are we running scared or trusting, believing that the God who has got ‘the whole world in his hands’ has us, too? It is one thing for Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, to teach and write about living a God-purposed life, smiling in his Hawaiian shirts; but have his 27-year-old son take his life … what then? Is Pastor Rick still faithful? I mean, when his very public life gets turned inside out, for all the world to see the mental illness of his son—(yes, even in the faithful Christian servant’s family)—when mean-spirited people took the opportunity to take shots at Rick Warren—what then? ‘Still faithful? Still trusting God?
Yes. Rick and Kay Warren are still at their post, still loving and trusting God, and they said so for all the world to see on CNN’s Piers Morgan Live.5 The epitome of faithfulness, a powerful testimony for the world to see . . . an example to you, and to me.
Faithfulness… purpose to stay at your post!
Christine