DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FAITHFUL

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FAITHFUL

"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house." (Hebrews 3:1-2)

The word "faithful" seems to be the point of these verses. The writer of Hebrews used Jesus and Moses as examples of faithfulness. Jesus was faithful to the commission of the Father. God sent him into this world to accomplish the work of salvation for mankind. Moses was faithful to the commission of Yahweh to deliver the house of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.

It was not always easy for Jesus or Moses. They both faced the temptations of Satan and the flesh. They endured the rejection of the very people they came to deliver. Surely, there must have been times when they were tempted to give up and take another route – find some detour. After the first temptations by Satan, Scripture says that "when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13). We know that one "opportune time" was when Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross, and Jesus said, "Get behind me, Satan" (Matthew 16:23). I believe that Gethsemane was also an "opportune time" when Jesus was at His lowest, being exceedingly sorrowful and deeply distressed (Matthew 26:37-38) by what He was facing. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Abba Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me" (Matthew 26:39; Mark14:36). I personally believe that He heard the hiss of the serpent whispering in His ear, "This is not worth it. Give it up." But in the end, he submitted to the will of His Father and prayed, "Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

Moses also faced the temptation to quit. The Israelites were a rebellious and complaining people who rejected his leadership. Moses went to God and said, "Why have you afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that you have laid the burden of all these people on me? …. I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If you treat me like this, please kill me here and now….." (Numbers 11:11; 14-15). He felt that to die was better than what he was suffering. But in the end, Moses remained faithful to fulfill the calling of God on his life.

Both Jesus and Moses were faithful to their callings. Likewise, God calls us to be faithful. As Jesus said to the Church at Smyrna, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10b). God has not called us to be popular, to be successful, to be prosperous, or to be famous. He has called us to be faithful to the faith and to the calling he has given to each of us. When I get to heaven, I want to hear Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things..." (Matthew 25:23). I may not have many talents, but I want to be faithful with the "few things" that God has given me responsibility for.

Love, Dad