Wednesday, November 6, 2013

"Faithful and True"

(#4,000)
Expect God

  
       "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21).

    Long ago, Frances and I adopted this declaration of the Apostle Paul as the life verses for our relationship, our marriage, or family, our ministry, and our lives.  Subsequently, our Heavenly Father has confirmed the truth of them day by day, year by year, and sometimes it even seems, moment by moment.

    The administration of such assurance occurs on mountaintops, in valleys, and along the everyday, mundane paths of our experience.  We've missed much of it as it happened, but as we look back on well over three decades (going on four!) of God's perpetual faithfulness, and as we open our eyes in the present moment, the sublime words of the hymnwriter shine more brightly than ever...

    "Out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth and giveth and giveth again."

    We must anticipate "exceeding, abundantly above," even as the Psalmist declared, "My expectation is from Him" (Psalm 62:5).  This does not assure us of smooth and untroubled earthly pathways, of course.  In fact, it guarantees them as we walk in the nail-scarred footsteps of our Master.  To expect God, however, does pave a path of peace in whatever venue He determines or allows us to encounter.  Indeed, we've discovered, and are discovering, that the Lord Jesus Christ awaits us even as He escorts us to every summit, every valley, and every place.  "I will be with thee" (Isaiah 43:2).

    Whatever the particular subject matter of each day, we have written and sent forth these devotionals with one theme in heart and mind, for the purpose of communicating one primary truth of God and of our existence in this life and forevermore.  Namely, no one has ever trusted in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and been disappointed for doing so.  And no one ever will...

"
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True."
(Revelation 19:11)
    


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