God’s Faithfulness
This is an audio recording of God’s Faithfulness the Day 8 entry in Today for Seafarers (Vol. 1) devotional by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Sheila Margerrison or read the text below:
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from
David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the
point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not
chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the
elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ
Jesus, with eternal glory.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure,
we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also
disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot
disown himself.”
Nine or ten months is a very long time to be away from friends and family—especially if you are married. Most married seafarers get through that time by calling home once or twice a month. Some have access to the Internet onboard and can call more regularly. All recognize that being away for such a long time is a heavy burden on their wives and children.
To make it through, both the seafarers and their wives need to be faithful to each other. Faithful in calling on the telephone. Faithful in sending money home. Faithful in taking care of the children, if there are any. Faithful in not entering into other relationships while at home or in other ports. Faithfulness means keeping your promises.
We all know of people who have not kept their promise to us. The Bible shows that one of the main problems with human beings is that we are not good at keeping our promises—we so often want to be faithful only to ourselves.
The beauty of Jesus’ coming is that it shows God’s faithfulness. God kept the promise he made earlier in the Bible—the promise to send a Savior who would bring us joy and happiness again. God is faithful, but he also shares his faithfulness with us. In Christ, we can keep our promises, especially with the people who are closest to us, because God gives us the strength. If you are tempted to be unfaithful to your wife, ask God to give you the strength to remember the promises you made at your wedding. He will give you the strength!
For Further Thought
How does God teach us to be faithful?
How does God’s faithfulness help us to be faithful to those closest to us?
In what ways have you reacted when someone did not keep a promise?
Why is keeping promises so important?
Prayer
Dear God, you have kept your promises. Your faithfulness is the reason I can be faithful. Thank you for sending Jesus to fulfill your promise. Help me to remember my family every day. Protect them and me from harm. I know you are watching over us every hour of the day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
