Great Is His Faithfulness

I am a man richly blessed by my God’s love and favor. It is truly a relationship that I did not choose. He chose me instead. When I think of the traditional message of Jesus and the Samaritan adulteress at the well, and remember His words: “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him,” I assume most people tend to remember the “whoever” in that passage. It’s a normal place to springboard into an evangelistic overture to a lost soul. Not being an evangelist by calling and because of my first-hand history with Him, I tend to be first, mindful of God’s choices over my own when it comes to receiving God’s acts and gestures of grace and favor.

My mind, therefore goes first to the phrase “that I shall give him” when I recall that statement by the giver of all grace at that well. My relationship with Him is one of total, unmerited acts of lovingkindness when I least expected them and ABSOLUTELY DID NOT DESERVE THEM. My last statement of assumed humility about not deserving His gestures, is really not very humble of me. It simply reflects my experience. He tends to surprise me with kindnesses when I have been ugly or sinful or just extremely carnal.

I can testify to the absolute truth of our beloved Paul (you know, the Apostle?) as he reflected David’s contemplation in Psalms 32:1-2. Paul’s reference to David’s contemplative soliloquy in song is in Romans 4:7-8. Here are their combined reflections, as I understand this lovely truth:

"Highly favored are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and completely covered. God shows them how special they are when He refuses to even hold their sins against them."

Now that’s not a one time provision when you first meet God. It’s a lifetime disposition that God has shown to me personally, and that I know to be true in what the Bible teaches about forgiveness and grace.

Now people who are steeped in the erroneous assumption that God is waiting to throw them into solitary confinement in the prison of the damned if they sin, will have trouble processing this sweet reality of grace. They have a pitiful understanding of gracious fatherhood, whether they think of God or earthly fathers in general. That kind of fatherhood is small spirited and insecure in its personal identity. That is not like the Heavenly Father that I have come to know. He is not petty and unforgiving. He doesn’t not keep remembering and throwing our stupid past at us. Only small men will do that to their children to make sure they keep their children in line or to maintain some precarious position of personal security as a father. That is not being a father.

I have found my Lord to be like I am toward my children, and like my dad was toward me. It doesn’t matter how stupid their choices, I am there for my children, and ready to tell them it’s alright and we will get through this together. I said GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. I tell them that we’ll find a way through it. Now think about God and what it means for HIM to say... are you ready for this? Think about what it means IF GOD SAYS:

“It’s alright son (or daughter), we will get through this together. We will find a way through it."

WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER? WE will find a way? Listen, my friends, IF GOD says, “we will get through this together,” what kind of outcome will it be? IF GOD says, “WE will find a way through it,” what kind of OUTCOME could there be, but a good one? Would there be any doubt about the outcome?

As the father of my children, if they get themselves into a difficulty due to foolish choices, I refuse to HOLD THEIR FOLLY AGAINST THEM! Why? Well duh! IT’S BECAUSE I’M THEIR DADDY! What other response would I have? I won’t tell them how stupid they are for getting themselves into this mess, and I won’t hold it over their heads if I “bail” them out. I will simply put the whole thing behind US.

What kind of father would I be to fuss and complain while I’m helping my children through a bad place? What kind of father would keep reminding their children of their foolish past? If God has thrown my sins behind Him into the sea of His forgetfulness, how else should I be? Unto whom much is given, then much is then required of them.

Now, allow me to go back to my original thought: My relationship with Him is one of total, unmerited acts of lovingkindness when I least expected them and ABSOLUTELY DID NOT DESERVE THEM. As the Samaritan adulteress at the well, He has given me waters to drink from the well springs of the eternal fountains. I have life when I have failed and been stupid. Nevertheless, He has given life and all things that pertain to a good life on earth. Blessing after blessing have been my portion, even in my sinfulness and human frailty. I can’t explain it or comprehend His favor.

“Surely Your goodness and unfailing mercies will pursue me all my life, and for the length of my days I will live in my Father’s house and a part of His family.” (Psalms 23:6)

Pause now and consider how much your Father in the heavens loves you and offer thanks to Him.