Tag Archives: God is faithful

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Forever, And Right Now

He is the God of Yesterday, Today, and Forever

PREVIEW: The testimony of history is that the Lord alone is a great and gracious God. Therefore, we should always cast our lot with him, for in the long run, he always wins, and so do his people. When in doubt, put faith in the God of history rather than fear in the difficulty of today and the uncertainty of tomorrow. God is the God of forever! However, most of us, while we might appreciate the importance of history, are more focused on what is facing us today. And the question that always arises for us is if God is great and gracious for us today. And the answer to that concern is a resounding yes.

The testimony of history is that God alone is great and gracious. Therefore, we should always cast our lot with him, for in the long run, he always wins—and so will we.-Ray Noah

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 68:19,35

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens….You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God.

Honestly, it took me a while to “get” this psalm. Not only did I have to read it through a couple of times, but once I was within the psalm, I had to stop and restart several more times just to figure out what David was trying to say. I now have greater sympathy for those of you who are daily readers of this blog.

My conclusion: This is a great psalm! David is tracing the glorious history of God and his people from their mighty and miraculous deliverance from Egyptian slavery to the enthronement of God’s presence in the sanctuary in Jerusalem. And, in case you didn’t know, that history covers several hundred years—years of ups and downs. But through it all, God always cared for his people, and at the end of the day, led them inexorably toward a preordained victorious conclusion.

The testimony of history, then, is that the Lord alone is a great and gracious God. Therefore, we should always cast our lot with him, for in the long run, he always wins, and so do his people. When in doubt, put faith in the God of history rather than fear in the difficulty of today and the uncertainty of tomorrow. God is the God of forever!

Most of us, however, though we might appreciate the importance of history, are more focused on what is facing us today. And the question that always arises is if God is great and gracious for me today. And the answer to that concern is yes. That is why, after praising God for his mighty and miraculous work throughout Israel’s history, David then says, “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” He is not only the God of forever, but he is also the God of right now.

You see, history is simply a series of daily experiences. String enough daily events together, and you’ve got history. God’s historical track record is comprised of revelations of his mighty and miraculous character as well as demonstrations of his great and gracious work in the daily lives of people like you and me. And since God is always true to his character, since he is always faithful to his covenant, you can trust that he will bear your needs today and lead you inexorably to a foreordained victorious conclusion, too.

So, what is the takeaway from this psalm? Simply this: How God proved himself to his people, Israel, he will prove himself to you today. He has the history to back that claim up.

He is the God of forever, and of right now!

My Offering of Worship: Are you concerned about things you are facing today or worried about what may happen tomorrow? Since God is faithful, why don’t you declare, “You are the God who never changes, the victorious One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

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The Flawless Words of God

Standing On The Promises

PREVIEW: In Psalm 18, David reflects that even though the road he has traveled to kingship has been rocky, to say the least, and at times, the success of his journey certainly hung in the balance, yet at the end of the day — at the end of each day — God had been faithful to David. God had kept him. God had delivered him. God had exalted him. And all David can do is offer this psalm of praise that recognizes the many qualities of God that have made him worthy of David’s praise. Now what was true for David is just as true for you. God is faithful, God’s Word is flawless, and God’s words to you will be fulfilled. So, are you standing on the promises of God? Are you claiming his words? Are you leaning into his Eternal Word? David would say to you, “You can depend on God’s Word—and his word. And of all people, I would know.”

The Flawless Words of God

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 18:30

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

As you read this fairly long psalm, your eyes will likely be drawn to verse 30. Initially, it will seem that David’s words here are an abrupt, although delightful, departure from the rest of the psalm. At first blush, it seems that David has taken a sidebar to attest to the inspiration and veracity of Scripture. Yet upon further review, this verse is in complete unity with the rest of the psalm, simply and succinctly verifying David’s testimony of God’s faithfulness to him.

The title of the song seems to suggest that David penned these words after a divinely orchestrated deliverance from King Saul’s insane jealousy and murderous rage. However, the internal evidence of the psalm indicates that this is really a retrospective on the faithfulness of God over the course of David’s life in fulfilling the promise to establish David as king over an everlasting dynasty in place of Saul. (See 2 Samuel 7:8-16)

In looking back, David reflects that even though the road he has traveled to kingship has been rocky, to say the least, and at times, the success of his journey certainly hung in the balance, yet at the end of the day, at the end of each day, God had been faithful to David. God had kept him. God had delivered him. God had exalted him. And now, David offers this wonderful song of praise that recognizes the many qualities of God that have made him worthy of David’s praise.

Then we come to verse, verse 30, where David’s worship takes on an increased volume of heartfelt praise as he sings in effect, “Yes, the promises of God have proved to be true and trustworthy. Every word he has spoken over me has been flawlessly fulfilled. I can count on his word; I can stand on his promises. With God, I am on safe and secure ground.”

Of course, what David said of the words of God (see Psalm 12:6, 30:5) is also true of the Word of God. In the next psalm, Psalm 19:7-9, David proclaims,

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.

Now here’s the deal: What was true for David is true for you. The Word of God is as true today as it was in David’s day. And out of God’s Word, through your time of prayer and reflection upon it, God will speak to you as he did David (remember, it will always be in line with his written Word), and give you a word specific to the circumstances you face. And you can depend on God’s Word in those times to be flawless as well. God’s promises to you are certain.

Are you standing on the promises of God? Are you claiming his word? Are you leaning into his Eternal Word? David would say to you, “You can depend on God’s Word—and his word. And of all people, I would know.”

My Offering of Worship: Take time to read, or reread, Psalm 18, and then write out a prayer of praise to God for his faithfulness to you.

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A Shelter in the Time of Storm

What Do People Do Without Jesus?

PREVIEW: Even though life doesn’t always turn out as you have planned, it is God’s plan that will prevail. Even when you can’t see him at work, even when you don’t feel his loving presence, he will never abandon you. He has a track record of faithfulness and goodness going all the way back to the beginning. So, my recommendation to you is to determine now to trust God at all times, and when the tough times come around, don’t abandon the only One who will never abandon you.

“Even though life doesn’t always turn out as we have planned, God’s plan prevails. You can take that to the bank!” —Dr. Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 9:9-10

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

Do you ever wonder what people who don’t know the Lord do when they face overwhelming difficulty and indescribable pain in their lives? I have often thought of that when a young mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer or the sole breadwinner abandons his wife and kids or when parents stand over the grave of their teenage child who has just been killed in a car crash, or a variety of other tragic scenarios.

What do people do without Jesus?

I am so thankful that my trust is in the Lord. He is indeed a shelter and a refuge. Not that I have been kept from hardship and tragedy — neither have you. We have had our share and perhaps will experience more in the future. As Jesus said, the rain falls on the just and unjust alike. (Matt 5:45) The difference is, we know to whom we can run when it’s raining — our loving Shelter. We know where to go in times of trouble—our great Refuge.

That is one of the things I love most about the faith that I’ve placed in Jesus Christ as my Savior. No matter what, I win! When trouble hits, I win because God delivers me from all of my troubles. (Psalm 34:17, Psalm 41:1) Even when I or a loved one goes through the tragedy of terminal illness, relational heartbreak, economic disaster, or premature death, I belong to a God who

  • Holds my hand — “I will never will I leave you or forsake you.” (Heb 13:5)
  • Provides my daily bread — “My God will supply all my needs.” (Phil 4:19)
  • Turns my tragedy to triumph — “In all things he works for the good” (Rom 8:28)
  • Trumps death with eternal life — “He who believes in me, even though he dies, will live again.” (John 11:24-26)
  • And one day will permanently turn my tears to joy and make everything new — “He will wipe away every tear.” (Rev 21:4)

Even though life doesn’t always turn out as we have planned, God’s plan prevails. He will never abandon us. He has a track record of faithfulness and goodness going all the way back to the beginning. So, my recommendation to you is to determine now to trust God at all times, and when the tough times come around, don’t abandon the only one who will never abandon you.

My Offering of Worship: Are you going through a season of sorrow right now? I would encourage you to not only reflect on this psalm, and pray it back to God, but open a hymnal to “The Solid Rock” and remind yourself that your hope — a hope that scripture tells us will not disappoint — stands on Christ, the solid rock!

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If Past Performance Is Any Indicator…

God Will Do For You Today What He Did For You Yesterday

SYNOPSIS: Ever wonder where David got his courage to fight Goliath? Was he just a naturally brave warrior, experienced in battle, skillful in hand-to-hand combat, and just spoiling for a fight with an oversized blowhard, or was there something else? There was something else! David’s time as a shepherd turned out to be a critical period of preparation for what was to come, because it was then that he had come to experience the continual presence and faithfulness of God. In those moments of distress and danger, the strong help of the Almighty had never failed; time and again, God stood by David, helped him, saved him, and the young shepherd had come to know that the One who walked with him was a covenantly faithful God. When he stood before Goliath he was simply drawing upon the reservoir of God-confidence that had piled up in his heart. He just knew that the same God who delivered him from every past danger would deliver him from this present one. God’s past performance was a surefire indicator of what was about to happen. So what about you, and the Goliath you may be facing today? Has God helped you in the past? Has he provided for you? Healed you? Protected and delivered you? Has he brought you this far? Why would he not do today, and again tomorrow, what he has done in the past?

Going Deep // Focus: 1 Samuel 17:32-37

David told Saul, “Don’t worry about this Philistine, I’ll go fight him!” Saul replied, “Don’t be ridiculous! There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” But David persisted, “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats. When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”

Ever wonder where David got his courage to fight Goliath? Was he just a naturally brave warrior, experienced in battle, skillful in hand-to-hand combat and just spoiling for a fight with an oversized blowhard, or was there something else?

There was something else! David, though he was just a young man, had walked with God in an unusually intimate way. Prior to facing the Philistine giant, David had spent countless hours in the quiet and solitude of the wilderness watching over his father’s sheep. Hour after monotonous hour of herding sheep, passing the time by plinking Coke bottles with his slingshot—well, maybe he had other targets—writing songs of worship and talking to God, were interspersed with moments of sheer danger when wild animals would attack the flock. In those heart-pounding moments, the only thing standing between the vicious animals and the decimation of his father’s livelihood was David—and God!

David’s time as a shepherd turned out to be a critical period of preparation for what was to come, because it was then that David had come to experience the continual presence and faithfulness of God. In those moments of distress and danger, the strong help of the Almighty had never failed; time and again, God stood by David, helped him, saved him, and the young shepherd had come to know in the depth of his being that the One who walked with him was a covenantly faithful God.

So why was David so courageous when he stood before Goliath? He was simply drawing upon the reservoir of God-confidence that had piled up in his heart. He just knew that he knew that the same God who delivered him from every past danger would deliver him from this present one. God’s past performance was a surefire indicator of what was about to happen. How could it be any other way?

So, got a Goliath in your life? I’ll bet you do—a big, hairy, intimidating problem breathing down your neck! You see, Goliath is still around, though he comes in a variety of forms: an impossible financial situation, a nasty boss or a threatening co-worker, a rebellious child or belligerent spouse, a physical problem, or a helpless sick loved one. All of us face Goliaths, and the natural thing to do is what the Israelites did: shrink back in depression, cower in fear and run from the battle.

But that would be to live way beneath the level of confidence, joy, and victory that God has willed for his people. So learn a lesson from David—Goliath may still be around, but so is God. He hasn’t changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And he is still a covenantly faithful God—he can’t help himself.

Has he helped you in the past? Has he provided for you? Healed you? Protected and delivered you? Has he brought you this far? Why would he not do today, and tomorrow, what he has done in the past?

He will! So put your confidence in him. Get your eye off Goliath and on to God, because the One who delivered you from the paw of the lion and the bear will deliver you from that nasty old Philistine. It’s just what God does!

Going Deeper With God: What is your current Goliath? Spend a moment reflecting on how God has taken care of your past giants. Then…go find five smooth stones!

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Strength and Protection: God’s Promise to You

Strengthen Yourself in the Lord Today

SYNOPSIS: What an encouragement for you today: “The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” That means God’s trustworthiness is flawless—he will always do what he says he will do, he will always strengthen you to meet every challenge that you will face, and he will even protect you from the overwhelming evil that Satan wants to unleash in your life. If you’re in a jam and no one is around to encourage you today, strengthen yourself in the Lord and by faith, express gratitude for God’s unfailing promise to strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

Project 52—Memorize:
2 Thessalonians 3:3

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

What an encouragement that promise ought to be for you today: God is faithful. That means his trustworthiness is flawless. It also means that he always does what he says he will do, including giving you the strength to meet every challenge that you will ever face in life. And it even means that he will protect you from the overwhelming evil that Satan plans to unleash against you and your loved ones.

Yes, God is faithful, God will strengthen you, God will protect you from the power of the devil.

Do you believe that? It may be that your confidence in God’s faithfulness, his promise of strength, and his perfect track record of protecting you from the Enemy’s harm is waning if you are facing a battle, or in the thick of one as we speak. If that is the case, then let me encourage you to do as David did when it seemed he was on the verge of devastating defeat: He strengthened himself in the Lord. (1 Sam 30:6)

So how can you strengthen yourself in the God who promises to strengthen you for the battle? One of the most powerful ways is to simply meditate on God’s promises. How do you meditate? Practice reverse worrying. When you worry about something, you think about it all the time. So simply choose to constantly think about God’s promises until your confidence in him returns—and it will if you do this.

Allow me to give you fifteen Biblical promises of strength and protection that you can turn into reverse worrying:

  1. Genesis 15:1 — Don’t be afraid, for I am your shield and your very great reward.
  2. Deuteronomy 31:6 — Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
  3. Psalm 3:3-5 — But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
  4. Psalm 17:8-9 — Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
  5. Psalm 23:1-7 — The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
  6. Psalm 32:7 — You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
  7. Psalm 34:7-9 — The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
  8. Psalm 121:7-8 — The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
  9. Proverbs 18:10 — The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
  10. Isaiah 41:10-13 — So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”
  11. Isaiah 43:2 — When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
  12. Isaiah 54:17 — No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.
  13. Nahum 1:7 — The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.
  14. Ephesians 6:10-15 — Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
  15. 2 Timothy 4:18 — The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

If you are in a jam and no one is around to encourage you today, strengthen yourself in the Lord and by faith, express gratitude for God’s promise to strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

When a man has no strength, if he leans on God, he becomes powerful. ~D.L. Moody

Reflect and Apply: If you are facing an overwhelming challenge, memorize and meditate on these verses, lean into God, and strengthen yourself in him.

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Remember

God Will Never Fail You

SYNOPSIS: If you are going to walk faithfully with God over the course of your life, you will have to get good at remembering. In fact, God himself calls you to practice remembering: Remember the trustworthiness of his character, the certainty of his promises and the track record of his faithful activity in your life. Failure to remember God’s unimpeachable ways in the past will lead to fear and faithlessness when you hit rough roads in the journey ahead. That is why he wants you to practice remembering that he will never fail you, that you will never be alone, that he will always keep his promises and he will always reward your faithfulness!

Project 52 – Weekly Scripture Memory // Hebrews 13:62

“So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? … Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

If you are going to walk faithfully with God over the course of your life, you will have to get good at remembering. In fact, God himself calls you to practice remembering: Remember the trustworthiness of his character, the certainty of his promises and the track record of his faithful activity in your life. Failure to remember God’s unimpeachable ways in the past will lead to fear and faithlessness when you hit rough roads in the journey ahead.

God calls us to remember so that we don’t forget. That is why he has gone on record time and again in his Word that he will indeed keep his commitments—all of them. God wants us to know that it is his nature to be faithful. God keeps every one of his promises!  He just can’t help himself. That is why Hebrews 10:23 urges us to,

“Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful!”

Not only does God want us not to forget him, he wants us to know he will never forget us. God knows who we are, where we are and what we need.  He remembers us, he remembers his promises to us and he graciously acts on our behalf at the proper time. And just about the time we think he has forgotten, he invades our dark days and interrupts our desperate realities with the light of his loving plan—because God remembers!  Isaiah 49:15-16 beautifully reminds us,

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

Furthermore, God wants us to know that he will never forget our tenacious faithfulness to him. When it looks like God is absent, or that he doesn’t care, and we ruthlessly cling to our trust in the goodness of his character and fidelity of his promise, God’s heart is moved—and he rewards. Isaiah 40:31 says,

“They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

God wants you to practice remembering that he will never fail you, that you will never be alone, that he will always keep his promises and he will always reward your faithfulness! God’s promise to you is that you will never be forgotten, no matter what!

In the 1980’s, Tom Sutherland was taken hostage by radicals in Lebanon and held in captivity for 4 years, mostly in solitary confinement. He existed in deep darkness during that long ordeal. Sometimes he could hear is captor’s radio when they tuned it to the BBC, and Tom would listen intently hoping and praying to hear his name mentioned on a newscast. But he never heard it, so he figured that people at home didn’t even know he was alive, much less imprisoned.

Finally, Tom was released.  He flew back to the US and landed in San Francisco, and he was amazed as he got off the plane to see a huge crowd, people waving signs, cameras, reporters, and TV lights. He turned to his wife and said, “There must have been a famous person on this plane with us.  See if you can spot him.”  And she said, “Tom, they’re all here for you!”  Tom broke down and cried like a baby. And he finally said, “I thought everybody had forgotten me…I felt abandoned…I didn’t think anybody cared.  Thank God I was wrong.”

If you’re feeling forgotten at this moment, thank God you’re wrong!  God remembers you and will fulfill every single one of his promises at the proper time.

So remember not to forget that!

I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain ~John Henry Newman

Reflect & Apply: Use your Bible concordance to search God’s promises to remember his people. Find seven verses, one for each day this week, and reflect on them. That is what one of the ways you can practice remembering.

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God Gets The Last Laugh

He Is Good ... All The Time

God gets the last laugh. If you are in a covenantal relationship with God through faith, time and circumstances are irrelevant in terms of him fulfilling his promises to you. He will. He is covenantally faithful. And while your faith may laugh because of limited understanding, or even in sarcastic doubt, God is greater than the circumstances upon which you have chosen to focus. God is true, and he will bring to pass every promise he has given you. He will get the last laugh.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 17:17-19

Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!” But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.

God gets the last laugh—always!

While the New Living Translation renders Genesis 17:17, “Abraham laughed to himself in disbelief,” the New International Version leaves off the word “disbelief,” simply saying, “Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself,.” Whatever it’s motive, why the laughter? Abraham was understandably wondering how a son would be born to him, as God had promised in this encounter, and well as in previous ones, when he was nearly one hundred years old and not getting any younger, and his wife was not far behind, hovering around ninety.

Abraham laughed, but so did Sarah. In the next chapter, the Lord shows up yet again, and yet again reaffirms the covenant promise of God. In response, Sarah, eves-dropping from the flap of her tent, laughs to herself, but this time, her laughter is met with Divine rebuke. (Genesis 18:9-15) What was the difference—Abraham’s laugher was met with divine explanation; Sarah’s with divine admonition?

Flat out, Sarah didn’t believe the word of the Lord. She looked at the circumstances of her life, she’s childless at ninety, and chose to believe that condition ruled the day instead of the covenantal promise of God, with whom our age, or any other human reality, is not a factor. On the other hand, Abraham’s laughter most likely was a reflection not of his lack of faith (remember, in Genesis 15:6 he had believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness) as much as it was a limitation of his faith.

As you read the narrative of Abraham, God is progressively revealing himself and his covenantal promises/demands to this chosen man. Abraham, like you and me, often wondered, i.e., laughed with incredulity, as to how God will pull this or that off. The truth is, we have faith in God, we just don’t have the faith of God yet. But when our response turns to sarcastic doubting, a mocking, bitter pffft, which is likely the kind of laughter that privately exploded from Sarah’s mouth, we are in danger of divine displeasure.

But you’ve got to love God’s response to Abraham’s limited faith, and even Sarah’s critical doubting? God says, “you are to name the baby boy Isaac.” Don’t forget, Abraham is ninety-nine and Sarah is ninety. It has been thirteen years since the Almighty made the covenant with Abraham that if this chosen man would simply trust God, he and his wife would become the parents of many nations and the very human fountainhead of universal blessing. Yet over a decade later, in spite of the covenantal couple’s advanced age and persistent barrenness, God says, “name him Isaac,” which means, “God laughs.”

The point being, God gets the last laugh. If you are in a covenantal relationship with God through your faith in him, time and circumstances are irrelevant in terms of him fulfilling his promises to you. He will. He is a covenantally faithful God. And while your faith may laugh because of limited understanding, or even in sarcastic doubt, God is greater than the circumstances upon which you have chosen to focus. God is true to his Word, and he will bring to pass every promise he has given you. He will get the last laugh.

If you have expressed a lack of faith, or recognize that your perspective has suffered limited faith, I would recommend you do what Abraham did when the Lord spoke his promises to him: he fell down to the ground—a sign of respect and worship.

Even if you are still struggling with the impossibility of your circumstances and the slowness of God’s promises—if you are laughing at the impossibility of God’s blessing in your life—by faith, bow down and worship the One who is covenantally faithful, who always, always, always gets the last laugh!

Going Deeper: Bow before the Lord and acknowledge his greatness and his goodness. And like the frantic father of the demon possessed boy in Mark 9:24, cry out to God: “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!”