You never failed me yet

For the longest time in the period following my conversion, my favourite hymn was “Great is thy faithfulness.” My world had fallen apart, I had let many down, in turn had been let down, and in my pain I found in Him, love, comfort, strength and encouragement. But the things that was most important at the time was the stability of knowing that He was always there for me. He was my rock, as He demonstrated His changelessness in the midst of debilitating change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and His steadfast love and mercy never fail (Lamentations 3:22).

Lamentations of course is about lament, and the lament in tho book of Lamentations, is over the exile of Israel to Babylon. We see in 1:1 Jeremiah grieving over Jerusalem the eternal city that was (and in fact still is) the centre of Judaism. Jeremiah declares “How lonely is the city that was full of people!” He goes on to compare the situation to that of a widow grieving the loss of her husband. Strangely, it is in the midst of the apparent desertion of Israel by God, that Jeremiah’s faith in His faithfulness kicks in. Times of trial, difficulty and loss are crossroads for faith. Will we trust Him at the times when the external evidence seems so point in the opposite direction? It is the testimony of saints down through the ages however, that it is precisely in these times, that their relationship with God is strengthened as they receive His Grace, mercy and comfort.

And this is my testimony too. In the times I have felt most alone, most rejected and abandoned, these are very same times, where I found that God had not abandoned me, and that in accordance with His promise to work all things for my good (Romans 8:28), He has used the time to take me ever deeper into intimacy with Him. I would never have chosen to have my wife take the four kids and leave, all those years ago. But I would not be the same man today if she had not. What I am saying is that it is not in spite of this that I grew closer to Him, rather, it is because of it. When things go wrong it is easy to blame God for allowing them to happen. We accuse Him telling Him that He could have prevented it! As for me, I am far too weak to try and handle the tragedy of life on my own. But this is a good thing, because in my weakness I take on His strength and so when I am weak then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Father a line from a song comes to mind this morning “If I never had a problem, I wouldn’t know that God could solve ‘em.” And sometimes Lord You change the circumstances, sometimes You change us, and give us the grace, the wherewithal, to handle the situation. At such times You work mightily in us, in me. And while Lord I could wish that things has been different, I cannot regret the change and the freedom that my experience of Your faithfulness had wrought in me. Truly Lord You have never failed me yet, nor will You, for You are faithful. Thank You Lord in Your precious Name Amen