“The work the Lord gives you is a gift that you generously steward as a testament to your trust in Him.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 11, 2023
I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. Psalm 101:6, ESV
What does it mean to be faithful to God? When we look at the life of Jesus like a full-length feature film, we see His faithfulness to His Father. In the temple as a 12-year-old child, Jesus reminded His parents that “He must be about His Father’s business.” In John 17:4, at the end of His divine mission, Jesus prayed, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” Jesus teaches us that faithfulness to God is being about the business of God, glorifying Him through our life, and completing the work which He has called us to do. So, let’s develop these three ideas of being with God, glorifying God, and completing God’s call. Jesus’ faithfulness to His Father can be seen in these three movements.
Being with God is the starting point to being faithful to God. In Psalm 101:6, God promises, “I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with Me.” Jesus, in the middle of His exhausting work, would go to the mountains to be still with His heavenly Father and, in the stillness, be strengthened to carry on His ministry. When facing the mission-critical decision of who to select to serve on His leadership team (the disciples), Jesus invested extended time in prayer for the wisdom of His heavenly Father on the discernment of which leaders would remain faithful. Being faithful to God is, first of all, being with God to know and obey the will of God.
Being faithful to God is also a lifestyle of glorifying God. Jesus always pointed upward to the glory of His Father as the motivation of His life and work. Jesus glorified His Father when He said, “I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me” (John 8:28). We are Christ-centered, faithful leaders as we acknowledge that our authority comes from the Lord, and He is the One we continually submit to to learn and grow as servant leaders. Faithful leaders glorify God with humble hearts that point upward and around them as the reasons for success.
Finally, Jesus models for us that faithfulness to God is finishing the work of God. In a culture of quick fixes that obsesses over instant results regardless of the path, there is a higher call. Jesus calls us to remain faithful to the task at hand. We may never see the outcomes we would like, yet we can rest that where the Lord calls us, He is faithful to join us. And, out of our faithfulness, we can experience divine success. Well done from an audience of One is the praise we aspire to. Other voices are only noise compared to the sweet delight of knowing we are being faithful to Christ to finish the work. Hard though it may be, burdens become lighter when yoked with Jesus. So, before you run headlong into the next exciting opportunity, make sure you finish what you started where you are, as this is the process in which God is glorified. The work the Lord gives you is a gift that you generously steward as a testament to your trust in Him. Remain faithful!
A benediction of faithfulness from Charles Spurgeon,
Dear friend, if you would be among the faithful of the land, depend continually upon the Lord Jesus and His Word to make and keep you faithful. Every day, wait upon Him for fresh anointing and renewed power, and daily live unto Him, and for Him, laying yourself out to honor Him who has redeemed you. Your only hope is in His precious blood, then let the objective of your existence be to glorify Him alone. If this be so, you shall be among the faithful of the land, and you shall dwell with the King, even with the King of kings, and you shall serve Him forever and ever.
God promises in His Word, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it ” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the faith and courage to glorify you by remaining faithful to finish the work you have called me to complete through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Application
Where has the Lord called you that you need to remain and bear fruit on God’s timetable without unrealistic expectations and artificial outcomes?
Related Reading
Psalm 33:4, 57:10, 89:2; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; 1 John 1:9
Worship Resource
Elevation Worship: Faithful
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