God is Always Faithful

Scripture: Acts 13:17-23

“The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it.  “For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness.  “When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years.  “After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.  “Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.  “After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’  “From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,

Insights: Yesterday we learned that not everyone is going to walk this faith journey out with us, but thank the Lord, He is always faithful to us.  In other words, at this point Paul begins to speak to the people about God’s faithful provision to the children of Israel from their very own history.  I have referenced only a sampling of all Paul stated in verses 17-23, but in these verses alone we see God faithfully providing the people food and clothing in the wilderness.  We see Him faithfully providing victory over enemies and establishing leaders through the judges, prophets and kings.  We then see God faithfully providing the people with a promised Savior, who would be His very own Son, Jesus.  God is still in this kind of business today.  He is still faithfully providing and taking care of our needs as His children.  Beloved, I think we all too often forget this fact about our loving Father.  I think we get caught up in a very self-centered and self-determined mode of operation and forget our success is going to be found in the Lord.  We are to seek Him out and His will and ways and then join Him in His activity.  We are not to form an activity and then see if we can get Him to bless it.  He is ever faithful to provide and direct our lives if we will just surrender our wills to His.  Let me encourage you this day to slow down and count your blessings.  Reflect, as Paul did in today’s verses, on God’s ever present faithfulness in your life.

Questions:

1. In what ways has God shown you His faithfulness to you in your life?

2. Have you shown gratitude to the Lord for His faithfulness?

Prayer: Father, I truly am thankful for your faithfulness in my life.  You are always there and always providing for my every need.  Thank You for being You.  Amen.