Faithfulness to do God’s Word is a worthwhile pursuit. It shows our love for God and helps us build a powerful relationship with our heavenly Father. There are many faithful men and women that we read about in God’s Word, and we can see the powerful impact of their lives. We have such examples as Moses, Abraham, David, the Apostle Paul (Exodus 40:16; Nehemiah 9:7,8; I Samuel 22:14; I Timothy 1:12), and so many more who were faithful to God by doing His Word. God has provided us with so many examples to help us build faithfulness in our lives. The greatest example of faithfulness in God’s Word is His Son, Jesus Christ, who faithfully carried out his Father’s will. As a result, he walked powerfully with God, enjoying as close a relationship as one could have.
Faithfulness does not happen overnight, but it is a characteristic we can build in our lives, just as Jesus Christ did. Jesus Christ lived the Father’s will perfectly, but he didn’t just live this way automatically; it took discipline, and it took moment-by-moment decisions to love and obey God and live according to His Word.
Hebrews 3:1,2:
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
Jesus Christ built faithfulness in his life. Isn’t that encouraging? He had to learn the Word, and then he had to be obedient to do it. And he decided to carry out his Father’s will each day, building faithfulness. God was able to trust Jesus Christ to carry out His will because he did it faithfully.
We build faithfulness in spiritual matters by faithfully carrying out the physical aspects of our walk with God.
Luke 16:10-12:
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
Jesus Christ was not only faithful in the spiritual matters of the Word, but he was faithful in the physicals as well. He operated decently and in order. For example, when he was feeding the about five thousand with loaves and fishes, he had the crowd sit down in orderly groups and then had the disciples serve them (Mark 6:39-41). The organization and order eliminated any confusion and helped open the door for God to work mightily and perform the miracle that was needed in this situation. Being organized could seem like something that is “least,” but faithfulness in “least” turns into faithfulness in “much.”
In my Way Corps training, I was taught the importance of faithfulness in physical details. In addition to the many magnificent spiritual truths I learned, much of the training taught me faithfulness in the everyday practical things. Staying faithful in the seemingly insignificant things helps prepare me to take on more.
God entrusted much to Jesus, and it was his faithfulness to do the Father’s will that strengthened his relationship with the Father. Jesus Christ and God had the closest and strongest relationship imaginable. He made God’s will his will by faithfully deciding to obey God and carry out His will each day. Jesus Christ was able to say the powerful words we read in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” Jesus Christ and his Father were one in purpose, moving together to accomplish the will of the Father.
When I was a little girl, my parents were very pleased when I obeyed them. The more I obeyed, the sweeter our relationship was. Well, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, faithfully obeyed Him by carrying out His will, and God was very pleased with him. Their relationship was very sweet. Matthew 17:5 tells us God’s words about His Son:
…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Jesus Christ was able to please God because of his faithfulness to carry out God’s will and because of the unity and trust built between them. They were one in purpose.
Aren’t we thankful that God gave us the perfect example of what faithfulness looks like in the life of His Son, Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ faithfully carried out his Father’s will, and as a result, he enjoyed a close and powerful relationship with Him. As God’s children, let’s be faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, our greatest example of faithfulness, walking in his footsteps, and watch our relationship with our heavenly Father grow closer and more powerful each day.