Genesis: The Story of God's FaithfulnessShembull

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

Listen to the audio guide to hear the complete devotional with Scripture, teaching and a worship song! Find a condensed, written version of this devotional below: 

Faithfulness is the quality of remaining loyal or steadfast. Most of us have very few relationships with unconditional faithfulness in our life. We’d expect that if we mistreated a friend for long enough, they’d stop being friends with us. We’d expect that if we continually performed badly at work, we’d be fired. But an account in Genesis shows us that God actually shows unconditional faithfulness towards us.

In this account, God tells Abram that he will have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Abram believes God, but he asks for assurance for this promise. God proceeds to arrange a customary Near-Eastern ritual called a covenant. A covenant is a promise that is dependent upon the relational faithfulness or loyalty of both parties involved. 

However, in this covenant, God takes on all the responsibility. God knows Abram will not be able to uphold his side of the covenant. Abram will not be faithful. But God will fulfill his promises to Abram even if Abram breaks his end of the deal. 

God will also have to take on the punishment that Abram’s unfaithfulness merited. Years later, God sent his son Jesus to Earth to die on the cross. In his death, Jesus died to take on the punishment for Abram, Abram’s descendants, and the whole world. 

Those who have claimed Christ as their savior can look to His death on the cross to be reminded of God’s faithfulness in spite of their sin and unfaithfulness. Every time we sin, we as Believers are met with forgiveness and grace. Our relationship with God is not contingent upon our own performance or even the strength of our faith. 

God’s faithfulness to us does not depend upon our quiet time tract record. 

It does not depend upon that mistake we made last weekend. 

It does not depend upon that recurring bad habit we can’t kick. 

God will always remain faithful to his people. And it is God’s faithfulness that inspires a reciprocated love and devotion in our hearts. We can stop focusing on our mistakes and our inadequacies and instead fix our eyes on the love and faithfulness of God. 

REFLECT: Pray and thank God for specific instances where your sin was met with His forgiveness and continued faithfulness. Meditate on the comfort that God’s unconditional faithfulness brings.