Jesus patiently keeps His Promises

 

Every morning I turn on the kettle to make myself a cup of tea. A few times I can’t recall doing it so touch the kettle to see if it is hot. My memory failure never affects the kettle. I flipped the switch and it does what I asked of it, whether I remember or not.

Faith in Christ is always about Him, not my failures and inabilities. I’ve trusted Jesus to save me and keep me in His care. If I fail to follow perfectly or have doubts or worries, He remains faithful. My doubts are merely evidence that I might be trusting my performance instead of His promises.

Sadly, if many Christians are tested by the presence of doubt in their lives, this gives evidence that their faith is not as strong as the trustworthiness of Jesus Christ. He said “Believe in me” to be saved, not “Believe in your performance” or “Believe because you are getting everything you want” or “Believe only when you never fail.”

James says that trials are able to produce patience in me. That is a reason to rejoice (James 1:2-4) for God is at work so I can be mature in my faith. Maturity shows up in many ways, but an important one is patience. When a person is patient, it even affects the way we pray:

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1–8)

In this parable, the woman persisted in her request to a judge who was not anything like God, but that judge eventually gave in to her request because she persisted. She did not become impatient and take matters into her own hands.

When I pray to God, this is often my test too. I ask, sometimes for years, and sometimes try to make the answer happen only to realize that my efforts only interrupt the process. God is using the trial of waiting to build patience in me. My interruptions and self-effort only serve to put me back in the classroom taking ‘Godly Patience 101’. Once that is in place, God turns to my request.

Jesus’ question is pathetic: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Too many only trust God when their lives are comfortable, health is present, children are walking with Jesus, food is on the table, blessings abound. But when anything is missing, or when we slip up in obedience, guilt and the sense of our failure changes contentment to anxiety and worries that God has turned His back, forgotten His promises. Who are we trusting? And what are we trusting Him for? A more revealing question might be: What do I trust myself for?

PRAY: Jesus, when I rely on myself, I am always disappointed. I should never blame You for my sense of failure nor think that You have let me down when the opposite is true. If I am trusting me and feel let down, it is never Your fault. Help me to confess my sin and lack of faith in You and be forgiven and cleansed. You promised to keep me and are true to keep Your promises, even when I fail to remember that I asked You to do just that.