(C) Cheryl Howard 2008

When your cup of sorrow overflows,

To get through today you just don’t know.

When those closest let you down,

And comfort just cannot be found.

 

It’s HIS promise that you must hold,

HE’ll not forsake when young or old.

When your dreams lay at your feet,

Hurt so bad your heart scarce beats.

 

Though storm clouds obscure your view,

And try to steal all hope from you,

HE is constant, HE is true,

HE is holding tight to you.

 

When you walk a lonely road,

It is HE who bears your load.

In the darkness of your night,

HE has sworn to be your light.

 

When your heart it quails within,

Your courage fading it’s so thin.

Reach out your hand HE is right there,

HE fought to rescue you, child so dear.

 

HE is The KING who conquered all,

Into HIS loving arms do fall.

HE is The LION on the throne,

And HE protects and guards HIS own!

 

 

 

 

thought for the journey …

 

The Faithfulness of GOD …. how often we fail to truly comprehend it.

Yet it is an essential part of HIS character - of WHO HE is. HE will never forsake us, HE is not weak or powerless, fickle or faithless, HE is not mercurial or whimsical! HE is The ROCK; solid, unchanging, dependable, reliable, faithful, true and constant. HE is Strength, Power, Might and Force - Uncontainable and Unpredictable (at times); but HE is TRUE and HE is always true to HIS Word and HIS Nature - a Loving, Gracious, Merciful, Forgiving, Holy And Righteous GOD …

Hebrews 13:5b-6 “be content with such things as you have. For HE HIMSELF has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say; ‘The LORD is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

 

In the Hebrew the words ‘faithful’, ‘faithfully’ and ‘faithfulness’ come from the words ‘Aman‘ and ‘Emunah‘.

‘Aman‘ means to build up or support, to foster as a parent or nurse, to be firm and faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet, to be true or certain - “to be firm, endure, be faithful, be true, stand fast…”

‘Emunah‘ means firmness and security, fidelity and faithfulness, truth, honesty, stability…”

In the Greek the word ‘faithful’ comes from the word ‘Pistos‘, which means trustworthy, trustful, faithful, sure, trusting and believing…

 

Deuteronomy 7:9 “Therefore know that The LORD your GOD, HE is GOD, the faithful (’Aman‘) GOD who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love HIM and keep HIS commandments;”

Psalm 36:5 “YOUR mercy O LORD is in the heavens; YOUR faithfulness (’Emunah‘) reaches to the clouds.”

Psalm 89:8 “O LORD GOD of hosts, who is mighty like YOU, O LORD? YOUR faithfulness (’Emunah‘) also surrounds YOU.”

1 Corinthians 1:9 “GOD is faithful (’Pistos‘), by Whom you were called into the fellowship of HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST our LORD,”

Revelation 19:11 “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And HE Who sat on him was called Faithful (’Pistos‘) and True, and in righteousness HE judges and makes war.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may The GOD of peace HIMSELF sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE Who calls you is faithful (’Pistos‘), Who also will do it.”

 

It is not our faithfulness we are to depend upon - but HIS. HIS fidelity, HIS support of us; that HE endures forever and HE is our Firm foundation, HE is our Stability in a world made of quicksand - HE is Trustworty and True; on HIM and in HIM we can stand fast and believe, for HE is Certain and Permanent! What A ROCK our JESUS is!! So let us hold on, with unshakable confidence, to the Promise of GOD’s faithfulness - and let us guard the faithfulness of our own hearts in trust towards HIM.