Faithful/Thursday, August 27, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
Matthew 26:55-56
Your faithfulness to God will depend on your daily commitment to Him.
Have you ever wandered through a graveyard and read the headstones of those who had passed on? Most give a day of birth, day of death, and perhaps a short description of their lives. "Beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Friend" "Friend to All, Foe to None" "A Great Fisherman"-the essence of a person's life is many times summed up in a few short words on a tombstone.
I remember visiting an old cemetery back East one time. As I wandered through the tombstones, I came upon one that caught me off guard. There was no day of birth, no day of death. No picture or fancy inscription. There was a single word carved into the tombstone over that body. The tombstone simply read "Faithful." The word that summed up that person's life was faithful.
As I read that tombstone, I wondered what that person had done to earn the title of "faithful." How much had they sacrificed to earn that title? What had they endured to be worthy of such an honorable word? But more than that, I wondered if I could be described as faithful at the end of my life. Would people look back and remember that I had faithfully served my Lord, even during the difficulties of life?
Think about the Christians who have remained faithful through history. Paul was beaten, stoned, left for dead, and suffered unbelievable difficulties. Yet he remained faithful. Early church leaders were persecuted for their faith, and some were even killed, yet they remained faithful. The Waldensians and many during the Middle Ages were threatened with unthinkable torture for professing Christianity, yet they remained faithful. John Bunyan was beaten and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, yet he remained faithful. John Wesley was chased out of churches for his biblical views, yet he remained faithful. Early pilgrims had to leave their homes and travel to a new land to freely worship, yet they remained faithful. So many Christians who have gone before us have endured the harshest of treatment yet have remained faithful to God. What would it take to turn us away from the Lord?
One of the saddest moments in biblical history is relayed in our verses today. Notice the end of verse 56, "Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled." The men into whom Christ had invested three years of His life, the men Jesus had personally chosen to accompany Him, the men over whom Christ had labored, decided that standing with Christ wasn't worth the cost. They chose to turn from the Lord rather than suffer.
Too often Christians follow God when it's convenient for them. They want God's blessings so they attend church and read their Bibles when things are going well, but the minute Christianity begins to cost them something, they give it up. They aren't committed to God; they aren't faithful.
Take a minute to think about this question: What would it take to make you turn from Christ? What would have to happen in your life for you to turn your back on God? Like Peter, so many people refuse the thought of denying Christ, but stronger Christians than us have fallen in times of adversity. Only those who are completely committed to God will be able to remain faithful in all circumstances.
How strong is your faith? At the end of your life will people be able to describe you as "Faithful"? Trials will come and difficulties will arise, but God wants you to remain faithful to Him in spite of them. Spend time right now to recommit your life to God. Commit to remaining faithful to Him, even if everyone else turns away from Him. Remember that even though all forsook Christ, He faithfully faced the Cross for you.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
Matthew 26:55-56
Your faithfulness to God will depend on your daily commitment to Him.
Have you ever wandered through a graveyard and read the headstones of those who had passed on? Most give a day of birth, day of death, and perhaps a short description of their lives. "Beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Friend" "Friend to All, Foe to None" "A Great Fisherman"-the essence of a person's life is many times summed up in a few short words on a tombstone.
I remember visiting an old cemetery back East one time. As I wandered through the tombstones, I came upon one that caught me off guard. There was no day of birth, no day of death. No picture or fancy inscription. There was a single word carved into the tombstone over that body. The tombstone simply read "Faithful." The word that summed up that person's life was faithful.
As I read that tombstone, I wondered what that person had done to earn the title of "faithful." How much had they sacrificed to earn that title? What had they endured to be worthy of such an honorable word? But more than that, I wondered if I could be described as faithful at the end of my life. Would people look back and remember that I had faithfully served my Lord, even during the difficulties of life?
Think about the Christians who have remained faithful through history. Paul was beaten, stoned, left for dead, and suffered unbelievable difficulties. Yet he remained faithful. Early church leaders were persecuted for their faith, and some were even killed, yet they remained faithful. The Waldensians and many during the Middle Ages were threatened with unthinkable torture for professing Christianity, yet they remained faithful. John Bunyan was beaten and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, yet he remained faithful. John Wesley was chased out of churches for his biblical views, yet he remained faithful. Early pilgrims had to leave their homes and travel to a new land to freely worship, yet they remained faithful. So many Christians who have gone before us have endured the harshest of treatment yet have remained faithful to God. What would it take to turn us away from the Lord?
One of the saddest moments in biblical history is relayed in our verses today. Notice the end of verse 56, "Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled." The men into whom Christ had invested three years of His life, the men Jesus had personally chosen to accompany Him, the men over whom Christ had labored, decided that standing with Christ wasn't worth the cost. They chose to turn from the Lord rather than suffer.
Too often Christians follow God when it's convenient for them. They want God's blessings so they attend church and read their Bibles when things are going well, but the minute Christianity begins to cost them something, they give it up. They aren't committed to God; they aren't faithful.
Take a minute to think about this question: What would it take to make you turn from Christ? What would have to happen in your life for you to turn your back on God? Like Peter, so many people refuse the thought of denying Christ, but stronger Christians than us have fallen in times of adversity. Only those who are completely committed to God will be able to remain faithful in all circumstances.
How strong is your faith? At the end of your life will people be able to describe you as "Faithful"? Trials will come and difficulties will arise, but God wants you to remain faithful to Him in spite of them. Spend time right now to recommit your life to God. Commit to remaining faithful to Him, even if everyone else turns away from Him. Remember that even though all forsook Christ, He faithfully faced the Cross for you.
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