Tag: psa100

Faithful!

Welcome to Numbers! If you like lists, genealogies, repetition, and numbers, here you go! If you simply want to learn more about God, this book is for you, too! As I read chapters 1-2 this morning, I noticed the posture of Israel is changing. Israel is looking more and more like a nation! They have a system of worship, an economy, and now an organized military!

Doesn’t this sound like God’s faithfulness to Abraham? Roughly five centuries earlier, God said this to Abraham…

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. (Genesis 12:1–2, ESV)

While reading through lists of names and numbers today, I see the faithfulness of God on display! I am reminded of a verse in the Psalms.

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:5, ESV)

As believers, how can we see God’s faithfulness in our lives? There are two simple ways.

First, by looking back over our lives! Can we not see where we’ve experienced His faithfulness? This view is based on experience. Remember all the times of God’s faithfulness in your life; you will be encouraged! The second way to see God’s faithfulness is by looking forward! This view is based on faith. This is the most exciting view! For example, though we can all say God has not forsaken us, this view says He never will! The forward-looking view brings comfort to my soul today!

To those of us who believe, rejoice! God has been faithful! God will be faithful! Keep your eyes on both sides of His faithfulness!

Today’s reading: Numbers 1-2 | Tomorrow’s reading: Numbers 3-4

The Good Old Days?

I came across Israel’s nostalgic lament three verses into my Bible reading this morning. 

“If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” (Exodus 16:3, NLT)

Nostalgia, the “good old days,” how things used to be, oh, how these are deceitful friends! Why? Because they don’t tell the whole story. The Egyptian diet is not the whole story; what about their slavery?

The truth is God’s goodness follows us all the time and in every decade and generation. “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6, NLT) But times were better back then; they were simpler and happier. No, not really! God’s grace and goodness are as powerful now as they were then. “For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” (Psalm 100:5, NLT)

Does God still love us? Yes! Is God still helping us? Yes! Is God still showing Himself mighty in our lives? Yes! Does God still have a good plan and expected end for our lives? Yes! Can we still see God’s salvation in our day? Yes! Well, then, today and tomorrow are full of promise! And those good old days, don’t believe the hype. Let’s look for the new thing that God is doing today!

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19, NLT)