We have been building a case all year for God’s faithfulness in our lives. No matter what we might be going through. I have been waiting to write and wondering what the focus would be for this month, and then it fell right into my lap. I did a celebration of life for our dear friend Julie Sitzmann a few days ago. I was preparing for that event and I felt led to go to Jeremiah 31 where God was telling the Israelites that He would turn their mourning into joy. We are all grieving over the loss of Julie in our lives and the whole situation. It has been rough, but the Lord has comforted us and shown us His faithfulness and goodness to Julie.
Jeremiah 31:2 says this – “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness.” He was speaking of His people who had been exiled. He goes on to say this in verse 3: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued my faithfulness to you.”
When I read this that morning as I was preparing, it caught my attention. I love Jeremiah 31:3 because over 30 years ago God used it in such a big way in my life. I have shared the first part of that verse so many times! When I share my testimony of God’s amazing love in my life and how He has revealed Himself and drawn me with cords of love, I tell a personal story. A very special lady in my life spoke these words over me one day when I felt so condemned and guilty. I was at her home doing a Bible study and we were praying. She said she felt led to share something that God had just put on her heart for me. I right away said to her, “It’s okay, just tell me and be honest. Don’t be afraid to say it.” In my head, I was thinking that it was going to be a hard word and that I had probably done something really wrong and God was mad at me. It was a time in my life that I really struggled with receiving God’s love and my forgiveness that Jesus has paid for – a huge price for my sins and freedom!
She smiled really sweet and said that the Spirit had said: “Cheryl, I have loved you with an everlasting love, with cords of lovingkindness I have drawn you.”
You can imagine what that did for me. I am so grateful for God’s everlasting love for me, and for the growth that I have had through the years. God has healed me of so many things and shown me so many lies that I believed about Him and me, and also about the situations even that I have found myself in. The lies kept me trapped and believing things that weren’t even true. But God has been so faithful through the years to me. He has truly continued His faithfulness to me. And yet, that part of the verse has never been something that I even noticed. God’s word is so rich. It even goes on to say, “Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt.”
I’m wondering if maybe God’s faithfulness has eluded you? Have you not seen it? Have you taken time to look back and remember God’s continued faithfulness to you? Do you believe the promise that He will continue?
I know that there are so many things that are going on in the world and in each of your lives. It’s true for me too! There is so much right now. But my load is lighter and my heart is free to praise God when I look for His faithfulness and I remember.
Isaiah 49:13 says, “Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.”
There is a lot of affliction right now and God has compassion on us and will comfort us. If God was calling the heavens, the earth, and the mountains to sing and to shout for joy, He surely is calling us to do that. Singing and shouting with joy to God for His continued faithfulness always lifts my heart and soul. It is so good for us and He is so worthy of our praise!
- Begin to praise God because He is so worthy of our praise! Even in the middle of really hard and scary stuff.
- Remember His everlasting love and talk with Him about it. It’s His love that has drawn you.
- Trust that His faithfulness will continue. Look back and see what He has done in the past and know He never changes.
- Expect big things from God in the midst of the mess. Tell Him.
