God Cannot Deny Himself

by Nan Trammell Jones, guest blogger


"Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself." ~ 2 Timothy 2:11-13, New International Version

"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father...," I belted out the familiar hymn, humbled by the faithful provision of God. My eyes puddled as I remembered His goodness. We were in seminary at the time with two weeks remaining before our first church assignment. Our friends had graduated, taking our mutual support with them. We were down to our last few dollars, the pantry was nearly bare and we needed to feed three young children. But, how?

My husband, David, gathered us together to ask the Lord for help. One day went by. Two days went by. My anxious thoughts were on the rise. "Don't doubt Me," the Lord said, "I have heard your cry." On the third day, a knock drummed at the door. There was a stranger standing in front of us holding a box. He told us the Lord sent him with provisions. David and I stood dumbfounded. Around the corner came three other people, all of which were strangers to us. They each carried a box of food - enough to last a family of five, two weeks. From the treasure trove of food came macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, vegetables and fruits galore, a canned ham, and boxes of cereal. The bounty seemed endless. There were even Scooby-Do fruit snacks, our kids' favorite. The children jumped up and down, I cried, and my husband hugged the stranger at least three times.

"How did you know?" we asked.

The stranger answered, "Our bible study was praying about finding someone in need. The Lord reminded us of the seminary students. As we drove through graduate housing, it looked like everyone was gone, but then we saw your light on and knew this was the place."

How could we ever doubt the faithfulness of God?

The words of Timothy give us pause: We die - we shall live. We endure - we shall reign. We disown Him - He will disown us. But then the rhythm changes, the core message shifts: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot disown Himself" (verse 13).

God will remain faithful, no matter what. He must because His Word - the Word that represents Him in totality, the Word that is Him - proclaims His faithfulness.

"Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided: Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!" (Thomas O. Chisholm)

Our God is faithful. On this we can depend.

Father, Thank You for Your faithfulness. I ask You to show Yourself strong in the lives and hearts of my friends who hunger and thirst after You. Open their ears that they might hear Your whispers of love and peace. We praise You, Lord.
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Using the written word and the spoken words of her heart, Nan Jones assists fellow believers in discovering the essence of who God is in their darkest hour. Her devotional blog, Morning Glory at http://morningglorylights.blogspot.com/ has become a place of community for Christians to find encouragement in God's Word and comfort in His Presence. Nan is available as a speaker that will encourage your ladies. Whether there are two or three, or a sanctuary full, Nan believes that every heart is precious to the Lord. Please visit her blog for more information.


 

God is Great. God is Good

by Nan Trammell Jones, Guest Blogger

"I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live."
~ Psalm 116:1,2

The pain in my shoulder was excruciating. I had fallen at work, toppling onto a concrete floor, and twisted as I tried to brace myself. "Nothing broken," Doc Miller said, "but that's a nasty sprain."

I lay squirming on the couch trying to find a comfortable position to rest my weary body. My three year old grandson was at the house. "Jamison, will you pray for Grandma's arm? I have a bad boo-boo." His stunning blue eyes met mine and, without saying a word to me, he lay that sweet little hand of his on my shoulder and prayed, "God is great. God is good. Amen." And then he toddled off to play.

Oh, that we would embrace the faith of a child, right? Pure trust. Full expectation of God's power and faithfulness. And no pride. Their little hearts seem to understand how big our God is and they accept the depth of His love and care just because He said so. No debate. No analysis. Just pure, unadulterated trust.

Sweet sisters, could we learn to trust the Lord with such simplicity? Could we learn to take Him at His Word - simply dare to believe? God, our Father, delights in revealing Himself to us, to making His power known to us.

Is there a struggle you are facing today? Are you overwhelmed with pain and sorrow? Are you wondering where your next meal is coming from? Dear friends, the Lord your God is great - He is big enough to handle all of your troubles. Nothing is too difficult for Him. And God is good - good enough to want to help you. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. His grace is available and sufficient for anything you are facing. You need only to believe.

After Jamison resumed his play, I noticed that the tension in my body was gone. The muscle spasms in my shoulder had relaxed and the pain began to subside. I fluffed my pillow, closed my eyes and slept like a baby.

Oh to have the faith of a child.

Father, You are so wonderful. Not only are you mighty to save and powerful to deliver, but you are tender in Your love. Thank You for that. Thank You for loving us so deeply and completely that nothing can separate us from You. We love You Lord and we give You praise.
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To read more of Nan's devotions, visit her blog, Morning Glory, at http://morningglorylights.blogspot.com/. Nan has a heart for Christian women who are struggling with their faith. Through difficult seasons in her life she has learned how to find God's light in the darkness and unspeakable joy when the river runs dry. She is available to speak at your ladies events. Please visit her website at www.jubilantlight.com for more information.