9God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9, NIV)
Though Fred lived on the West Coast, he was recruited by an intriguing East Coast startup. After several interviews, the company offered Fred a job that he really wanted. So Fred resigned from his California job and moved clear across the country. On the first day of his new job, his boss called him in for a meeting. “Fred,” the boss said, “I hate to say this to you, but your job has been phased out. And we don’t have anything else for you. I’m sorry about how this is going to mess you up, but we really don’t have any other options.” Fred was stunned. He had trusted those who hired him, only to be let down by them in a devastating way. God’s call disrupts our lives. God invites us into a whole new family, as His sons and daughters. God summons us to be set apart from the world for relationship with God and for participation in God’s work in the world. All of these require some getting used to, and sometimes a major life reset. Saying yes to God’s call is costly, even though the benefits far outweigh the costs. But if we’re going to give up things we value in order to heed God’s call, we must surely wonder if God is trustworthy. We wouldn’t want to say yes to God only to be left high and dry like Fred when his new company abandoned him. The Apostle Paul answers our question about the trustworthiness of God. Paul writes, “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” There’s our answer. God is faithful. God can be trusted. We put our faith in God because God is utterly faithful. How do we know God is faithful? Paul could have pointed to the faithfulness of God throughout the Old Testament. But, instead, he emphasizes what God has done in the lives of the Corinthians. God gave them His grace in Christ Jesus. He enriched them in speech and knowledge, generously supplying them with spiritual power. And God called them “into the fellowship of His Son” (1 Cor. 1:4-9). When we are sorting out God’s call on our lives, it’s important to remember His faithfulness. This is especially true if we’re in an extended season of discernment, a time in which we really aren’t clear on God’s particular calling for us. It can be unsettling to wait on God, especially if, like me, you’re not naturally inclined to be patient. Yet, if we are confident in God’s faithfulness, then we can trust God even in the silence. Knowing God’s faithfulness is also crucial in situations when God’s particular calling brings disruption or sacrifice. If you sense that God is calling you to take a new job or move to a new location, then you’ll be willing to walk out on a limb because God can be trusted. Or, perhaps you know it’s time for you to retire, yet you’re not quite sure what is next. You’ll be able to take the risky step without a full game plan if you are relying on a faithful God. God’s call can feel scary. It can summon us to new risks. It can disrupt our comfortable lives. But the more we know God to be utterly faithful, the more we’ll be able – even eager – to say yes to the call of God. Great is Thy Faithfulness! All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Comments are closed.
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