Faithfulness

My heart is heavy this morning as I am thinking of a friend who is lying to rest his beloved wife this very moment as I am writing this blog. Although he is 2,000+ miles away, my prayers of comfort and peace are lifted before our Heavenly Father for a faithful man and his little daughter. As we have engaged in this series on faithfulness, there have been life moments when God’s Word comes alive with this topic. This is one of them for me.

In today’s devotion, Week 3 – Day 5, Faithfulness, the passage is Revelation 2:10 which states: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life”, and Luke 9:23 Jesus makes a striking statement, “Take up your cross and follow me.” These are sobering words that our life journey may be very difficult, including tragedy, death, even as a martyr. I think of my grieving friend.

My friend is a faithful man. He has served as a worship pastor in four different churches in four different states, and has made a significant and lasting impression on each church family. He has served when life was good. I remember pure joy beaming from his face at the birth of his daughter after years of struggling with infertility, and his fulfillment in leading and teaching with excellence within the church. He has served when life threw him curveballs…sickness, disappointment, moving, and now his most difficult challenge, the unexpected death of his wife. Even at this moment his grieving words are filled with hope, trust and strength that God will supply his every need today, tomorrow, next month and the years following. Now that’s faith.

These are the type of life experiences that define us as faithful. It is easy to be faithful in our worship, obedience and service to God when all is good. Just as it is easy to show love to someone who loves you as much or more. The test of faithfulness is faith and trust during the difficult days. Do you worship God when you don’t feel like it? Do you serve others when it is inconvenient? Do you act in obedience to God’s Word when it’s easier to do your own thing? Do you hold onto hope and faith when tragedy strikes?

When Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”, it wasn’t a call to jump on the Jesus bandwagon, but to pickup the burden, the call, the work, the sacrifice, and the pain of the cross. But in the cross we find divine joy, forgiveness, peace, comfort, strength, wisdom and a Crown of Life. To my faithful friend attending his wife’s funeral, your testimony is brighter at this very moment than anytime before, and you have touched hundreds throughout this nation by your courageous faithfulness. May the Lord bless you and keep you in His faithful and loving embrace.

In loving memory of Kristy McClure (Nov. 3, 1966 – Oct. 2, 2009) http://memorial.yourtribute.com/kristinakmcclure/video.aspx?mode=view&videoType=videotribute&videoId=28178