GodReflection: Power Words

So I say, walk by the Spirit—the fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness—Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5

We just lost our one and only dog. He was a family companion for the past 13 years.

How can it be that the death of an animal can create such a sense of loss?

I find it interesting in the American culture as to how we equate faithfulness to our canine pals. A quick Google search returns over nine million hits on the topic.

Truth be told, I am not the pet owner type. This was our first and hopefully only dog.

However, it has set me to wondering about God’s faithfulness.

I see God’s fingerprint all over His world. Is it just possible that He placed the faithfulness attribute in the genes of our canine friends to give us a hint of His faithfulness towards human kind?

We thought we were obtaining an outside pet. However with time–he snuck his way under our kitchen table.

We have used the word faithfulness on numerous occasions since his death to describe his life.  Under the table or in the back yard his desire was to be near.

The older he got the closer he wanted to be to us.

How can I fully comprehend that God wants to be close to me?

I know me. There are times I wish I wasn’t so close to me.

Here is what I think.

God described Himself to Moses in clear proclamation as “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness . . .”

God abounds and overflows with faithfulness.

I find faithfulness cited consistently as an attribute of God in both Old and New Testament Scripture.

God always keeps His promise. He can no more be unfaithful than He can be unloving or unjust.

Faithfulness is who God is.

The richness of faithfulness comes when I reciprocate. God is faithful to me and He wants me to live in faithfulness to Him.

The faithful God calls me into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He calls me to faithfulness.

However, God knows I have within me too many of Adam’s genes. So He gave me a gift—the Holy Spirit. That gift grows the fruit of faithfulness within my soul.

It seems to me it is sort of a partnership. The gift of the Spirit provides the fruit. By my relationship with Jesus the fruit grows. I can’t grow it on my own. It only grows as I grow in my relationship with Jesus.

God is always near to me. He is faithful. My task is to be near Him. While He is faithful to me and I increase in faithfulness to Him, we are creating a relationship that will reach fullness only on the new earth.

It is only then I will comprehend the fullness of faithfulness.

For now, I want to live with faithfulness as a power word of trust and comfort on my walk and as a power word of great anticipation when I arrive.

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on the Power Word Faithfulness.

Gary@GodReflection.org