Faithfulness

by H. Darke, Vancouver, B.C. | Category: General | Nov 1960

We live in an age when only the spectacular seems to attract attention. Men are constantly telling or hearing of something new, as in the days of Paul (Acts 17). As God's people we must be careful that these things do not influence our spiritual lives, thus hindering our service for the Lord. There is a great need in the churches of God today for devoted, faithful service carried on by brethren and sisters in a quiet, inconspicuous, godly way. Faithfulness is vital in our christian life to make our service a sweet savour unto God.

Whether interpreted from the Hebrew or the Greek, the word faithful" bears the thought of being trustworthy, steadfast, permanent, quiet, firm, stable. We are asked in the Proverbs, "A faithful man who can find?" (Proverbs 20.6).

The Lord provides ample answers to this question in the Scriptures. Here arc but a few portions we might ponder and then imitate the faithfulness of the men who are mentioned

Moses, the faithful servant (Hebrews 3. 2);

Samuel, the faithful priest (1 Samuel 2.35);

Hananiah, a faithful man (Nehemiah 7.2);

Tychicus, a faithful minister (Ephesians 6. 21);

Timothy, a faithful child (1 Corinthians 4. 17);

Silvanus, a faithful brother (1 Peter 5.12).

Concerning Abraham, we are told that he had "a faithful heart" (Nehemiah 9.8), while of Daniel it is said that the two presidents and the satraps in Medo-Persia could find no occasion against him, "as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him" (Daniel 6.4).

Of our great Exemplar, the Lord Jesus Christ, it is written that He is " a merciful and faithful High Priest" (Hebrews 2.17) and "the faithful and true Witness " (Revelation 3. 14).

At a time when men like Diotrephes were seeking to wreck the early testimony, it is lovely to read the commendation of Gaius, the beloved, by the apostle John

"Beloved, thou doest a faithful work in whatsoever thou doest toward them that are brethren and strangers withal; who bare witness to thy love before the church" (3 John 5, 6).

This was humble service, rendered no doubt without any thought of recognition or reward, but with gratitude and love for his Redeemer. What a contrast to Diotrephes, "who loveth to have the preeminence" (verse 9)! John instructs us in verse 11 which of the works to imitate.

The encouragement of Scripture to be faithful is not limited to brethren, for Paul exhorts the women to "be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things " (1 Timothy 3.11). We are given one choice example for the womenfolk in Acts 9, of Dorcas, a quiet, godly woman who seems to have been so busily occupied that she would not have time for slander and gossip. She is described thus: "This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did" (verse 36). What a delightful commendation! What an example to any sister who desires to render faithful, inconspicuous service in the assembly! After Dorcas's death, when Peter came to the sorrowing company, we read: "All the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them " (verse 39). No better epitaph could be' chosen for a good woman who served the Lord faithfully.

Concerning faithful Daniel we are told that an "excellent spirit was found in him." May this be true of each one of us as we seek to find out from the Lord what our work in the assembly should be! Let us find our way humbly into His presence and prayerfully ask, "Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?" Not our will, but His! We can learn a solemn lesson from the fall of Satan. He was not content with being the anointed cherub, but desired the throne itself. Pride and ambition so often precede dissatisfaction and downfall. How heart-searching are the prophet's words, "And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not" (Jeremiah

45.5)!

"I would not have the restless will

That hurries to and fro,

That seeks for some great thing to do,

Or secret thing to know

I would be treated as a child,

And guided where to go."

He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much (Luke 16. 10).

H. Darke, Vancouver, B.C. | Nov 1960
General