Josh McDowell's Youth DevotionsSample

GOD COMMANDS FAITHFULNESS.

God gave a lot of commands to us. Sometimes it can seem a little hard to keep them straight. For example, see if you can identify which of the following commands really came from God:

1. Did God say:

(a) "You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, unless it's been inspected first" or

(b) "The seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work"?

2. Did God say:

(a) "You shall not steal" or

(b) "You shall not play loud music after midnight"?

3. Did God say:

(a) "Follow justice and justice alone" or

(b) "Do not trample down the lawn of your neighbor, for he will surely turn and rend you to pieces"?

4. Did God say:

(a) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" or

(b) "Let everyone do that which is right in his own eyes"?

5. Did God say:

(a) "Remain faithful" or

(b) "Let him who is without sin gather no moss"?

If you answered (a) to every question except the first, then you got them all right! See, it's not so hard to remember and recognize God's commandments after all.

One of the above commandments, of course, is taken from today's Bible reading, in which God commands his people to be faithful even when facing death! Yikes! That shows, of course, that faithfulness isn't just one of many options; it's commanded by God. Just as he wants us to be truthful, loving, merciful, and just, he also wants all of us to be faithful. In fact, he commands it.

REFLECT: Why do you think faithfulness is emphasized in today's Scripture passage? Is God's command to be faithful less important because it's not one of the Ten Commandments? Do you think God commands us to do anything that he doesn't think is important? Do you think God commands us to do anything that isn't right or good?

PRAY: "God, show me how to be faithful, and help me obey your command to be faithful."