Cultivating Faithfulness

The love of God is extravagant and relentless. From the very beginning of of His story in the earth, He has been pursuing the heart of man. When Adam disobeyed, still He came. “Adam, where are you?” He sought out Abram to make a covenant with him and make a people for His own good pleasure. He cut the covenant of blessing designed to pave the way for His own character of grace, blessing and hospitality to be forged within them. He choose and appointed judges and prophets to make sure His people could hear His voice and learn His ways. When His wrath for sin was full, He sent…

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:12 NKJV) In this historical account in 1 Samuel, Israel had, for years, been terrorized by the Philistines, who had taken some of their cities. When Samuel exhorted Israel to repent, turn to the Lord, and get rid of their idols, they obeyed. Then Samuel gathered them all together and prayed for them. The Philistines, taking the opportunity, came to do battle against them, but God, having heard their prayers, confused the Philistines, and Israel was able to drive them back. So…

We have Humming birds in our yard. They are fascinating and beautiful, and we’ve spent long breathless moments waiting for them to appear and then watching their energetic dances of flight and graceful hovering. But, they didn’t come to us until we drew them with the nectar they need to survive. Recently, on a whim, we decided to buy a Humming bird feeder. Within a few days, we were delightfully surprised to see actually see one. Not knowing much at all about them, we started watching documentaries and doing a bit of research, the gist of which revealed two interesting facts. These birds live on the very edge of existence…

Remember. Rehearse. Revisit. Many times it is written in the Old Testament that the Lord exhorted the children of Israel to remember what He had done for them, to remember how He had revealed Himself to them. And the result of their remembering grew into a rich annual rhythm of fasting and feasting, lamenting and celebrating. In the midst of chaos and struggle, we are called to pour out our hearts to Him in lamentation and to remember His faithfulness with hope and joy. He came to be with us so that we’d know the way home. He gave us His Word to renew our minds and to keep us…

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 20-21) In his brief but compelling letter, Jude exhorts us as the children of God to do four things: (1) build ourselves up on holy faith, (2) pray in the Holy Spirit, (3) keep ourselves in the love of God, and (4) look for the mercy of Christ. In times of chaos and uncertainty (which is pretty much what it has been for the whole of human history, when you stop and think about…