Faithful Forever

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, "Return, O children of man!" 4For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! (Psalm 90 ESV).

The good news: I think I’m pretty faithful, as friends and family go. The bad news: I won’t always be here, even though I’ve promised my children to live to be a hundred. Faithfulness is a great quality in anyone, especially friends. As the years go by, even if they don’t see each other, faithful friends can always pick up where they left off. It seems tough enough to make good friends, the ones who "stay kept" are that much more special.

We all want to have and be those kinds of friends. But I also know that I won’t always be around. I can’t be, and neither can my friends. The distance of geography may separate us. Or, death itself will intrude on our relationship with those who are close to us. When either of these things happen, it is essential that we understand the immovable faithfulness of God. That characteristic of God is at the heart of our hope and peace of mind. Because God never goes away and will never die, His faithfulness is unchanging and constant. He is eternal. When He says He is faithful to His people, both as individuals and all together, He means forever. We never have to worry about God not being there for us. He always will.

Psalm 90, our Scripture reading for today, is titled "A Prayer of Moses." Moses wrote it about 3,000 years ago, relatively early in God’s record of faithfulness. His psalm is more like a prophecy that has come true. From the time God guided the nation of Israel through the desert until today, He has been faithful to His people. His contract never ends.

How is your future looking? Secure? Perilous? Nobody really knows. I can’t predict your future, but I can make the same call as Moses: If you are living in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you can know that God will be there in your future, whatever it holds! The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we have an “anchor of the soul” that will hold us perfectly and forever (cf. Hebrews 6:19). So, rest assured of His faithfulness. He’ll never leave you alone! He is faithful forever!