Journey of the Word

Look on the bright side. Think positive.

For me, it comes naturally.

When I miss my alarm, I think, “Oh good, now I don’t have to look nice.”

When my refrigerator is empty? “Well, at least I’m saving money . . .”

When I’m stuck in traffic, I’m glad I’ll have an excuse for why I’m late.

And when I read that God is faithful, I think, “Aw, how sweet. No matter what, God does good things that make us happy.”

Yes, that’s essentially what I thought when I read the following:

The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself.

2 Tim 2:11-13

And then I hit the “pause” button and asked myself, What must God’s faithfulness look like when I’m not faithful?

And then I hung my head in shame. Because faithlessness is punished, not praised. It results in judgment, not blessing.

If we deny him, he also will deny us.

That’s what his faithfulness looks like.

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means!

Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,
“That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world?

Rom 3:3-6

Faithlessness on our part still means faithfulness on God’s.

We lie. He is true.

We are unrighteous. He is righteous.

The end result? We are judged, and God is faithful.

My positive thinking had led me to believe that God’s faithfulness would cover my faithlessness. And it does. That cross works many a wonder.

But we’re seeing the wrong kind of faithful if we so easily think God’s faithfulness is always a pretty picture.

When God sees sin and he judges it?

You just found it. God’s faithfulness.

It’s either that or stop being God.

[image credit: flickr.com, journeyoftheword.com]