God’s Faithfulness In Tough Times

Introduction:

An invisible enemy got in the way of our mankind. As you well know, the world is reeling from a tiny virus, highly contagious, one that has inflicted untold physical and economic pain around the world. Many tears have been shed over the coronavirus and its reign of death, financial ruin, and social anxiety.

One of my colleagues lost his mother in the home land and was devastated by the news of his mother’s death and his sister was infected with COVID-19. He was shattered and broken because he and his family couldn’t be there at mom’s funeral. And within a week he got another shock- his sister passed away due to the virus. No words could console my friend’s sorrow or stop his tears. We’ve been inundated by stories like that, causing tears of sorrow to streak down the faces of individuals and families around the world. When we look at the world we find that everything is messed up. We are troubled with the world situation. If there ever was a time when the world needed hope, grace, unity, and salvation, it’s now. It seems the whole world is in tears.

David Jeremiah writes, “Tears often become trails to Christ. They can pave a way for spiritual healing. The God who invented tears is moved by them. When Hezekiah was dying from an incurable disease, the Lord said, “I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you” (2 Kings 20:5). The psalmist said, “Put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?” (Psalm 56:8). Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Someone called tears “liquid prayers,” and that’s often true. There’s no better time than now to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). Global Media Outreach documented last spring as the pandemic was growing, that there was a 170-percent increase in clicks on their search engine ads about finding hope.”

Dr. Joseph Parker said, “Tears are telescopes. I have seen further through my tears than ever I saw through my smiles…. Blessed be God, we can see Jesus through our tears. He knows what tears are. Jesus wept! The eyes that John saw as a flame of fire, the Jews at the grave of Lazarus saw as fountains of water…. Every one amongst us has tearful times. But we use our tears wrongfully if we do not lift up our eyes and look through them unto Jesus in the heavens

Everything around us is changing fast. We are looking for something that would remain constant and consistent. I have some good news; one thing that remains the same and constant is God's very nature. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever".

All things may change but we can rest assured of God's unfailing faithfulness. He has been our help in ages past and hope for a better future. To be faithful is to be reliable, steadfast and unwavering.

1. Faithfulness of God:

a. In Old Testament:

Deuteronomy 7:9- Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Psalm 119:90- God's faithfulness continues through generations

b. In New Testament:

1 Cor. 1:9- God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Thess. 5:24- The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

These verses establish that Faithfulness is an attribute essential to God, without which he would not be God. It is a most glorious attribute of his nature.

What is the meaning of God's faithfulness?

a. God is a promise giver and he fulfills his promises 100%. Humans can give promises but sometimes fail to keep or fulfil their promises. Spouses break their wows of marriage. Politicians give false promises during elections but fail to deliver after they are elected. The consumer goods manufacturers give lots of promises about their products but actual performance may not live up to their promises. Humans can never be 100% faithful.

Numbers 23:19- God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

b. The Lord our God is faithful, always faithful, in all things faithful - This is our confidence in him.

c. God is faithful because He is holy and righteous. God's faithfulness is based on His holy character.

2. God's faithfulness in troublesome times:

It is one thing to experience God's faithfulness in good times but how can we experience that when all things around us are falling apart? We have some people in Bible like Job and Prophet Jeremiah who experienced God's faithfulness in worst times of their lives.