Fruit of the Spirit Pt. 2 - Week 5, Day 1

Day 1: God Does Not Lie (He is Faithful)

For a week in Washington, D.C., meteorologists kept their eye on Hurricane Isabel as she moved in a northwesterly direction from the Southern Atlantic boasting winds near 150 miles per hour. Isabel wreaked havoc as it moved toward the nation's capital.

On September 18, 2003, all federal government offices were closed with most of Congress leaving town. Museums and monuments were shut down as Washington's streets, usually crowded with tourists, stood abandoned. Even the Metro subway was closed. As Hurricane Isabel bore down on Washington, D.C., Thursday evening, heavy rains and strong winds pelted the city. Trees were toppled, and 700,000 people were left without power.

The storm was so severe that for the first time at the nearby Arlington National Cemetery, the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns, a memorial to unidentified fallen soldiers, were given permission to abandon their posts and seek shelter. Since a sentry was first posted there in 1930, the tomb has been guarded continuously with a half-dozen soldiers taking turns standing guard on 24-hour shifts.

That day, however, the guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns remained resolute in their determination to stay at their post. When reminded of the opportunity to seek shelter, Sgt. Christopher Holmes responded, "They told us that. But that's not what's going to happen. That's not what's going to happen. It's just considered to be the greatest honor to go out there and guard. It's not only the unknowns. It's a symbol that represents everyone who's fought and died for our country. To leave the unknowns is never an option for us. I guess you could say the opportunity to leave our post went in one ear and out the other.”

Staff Sgt. Alfred Lanier, who was also on duty with Holmes Thursday night, explained,

"Once you become a badge holder, it's like you'll do whatever you have to do to guard the unknowns. For one, it's my job. And for two, that's just how much respect I myself have for the unknowns. That's just something we cherish."

During the height of the storm, the Sergeant of the Guard took it upon himself to march for 5 1/2 hours in front of the tomb against heavy rain and 60-mph wind gusts. The wind was so strong that at least 24 trees fell on cemetery grounds and three headstones were crushed.

There is something about a story like that that makes us puff out our chest with pride. Here is a group of men that are determined to be faithful to what has been entrusted to their care no matter what might come their way.
I bet if I was to ask you to describe to me a trait that you can’t stand in the lives of other people, I bet unfaithfulness would be right at the very top of the list. You would probably look me in the eye and say,

I can’t stand it when people say one thing and do another.

When they look me in the eye and they lie to me.

When they promise they will show up but then they don’t.

When they promise they’ll stand by me, but they are the first to run and hide when the going gets tough.

I bet if I was also to ask you what traits you most admire in others, faithfulness would be at the top of your list. We love to see people who endure. We love to see people persevere regardless of the obstacles that stand in their way.

It’s the faithfulness of the couple who has been married for 50 years that we stand and applaud.

It is the faithfulness of a single mother who is working two jobs and sacrificing herself for the life of her kids.

It’s the faithfulness of the mom or dad who continues to show up to work day after day providing for their families.

It’s the faithfulness of people making promises and keeping them. Showing up when they said they would and did what they said they would do.

Faithfulness. Faithful is who God is and faithful is what God wants us to be. Have you ever thought about the faithfulness of God? One of the things I admire in God is that He never breaks a promise and what He says He will do He does.

You see God is consistent and that is a good thing.

Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.

I remember when I was a kid and I heard that God doesn’t change I thought, “no wonder God doesn’t understand what I am going through. He is still stuck back in the dark ages of a long, long time ago.” When the Bible says that God doesn’t change, it is not talking about style it is talking about substance.

Listen to me. We don’t want God to change. The only reason someone should change is so they can improve themselves but how do you improve what is already perfect?

Bill Hybels writes, “If God changed that would mean that He would have to be less gracious; He would have to be less faithful. He would have to speak to me less and guide me less and I don’t want that.”

The only way God could change is to be less than He is and the Bible is clear that will never happen.

I’m thankful that God’s love never changes and that His forgiveness is unconditional. I’m thankful that God is reliable, dependable, and worthy of our trust.

Now my question to you today is this:
Are you a faithful person? Do you do what you say you are going to do? Can people count on you? When you make a promise to someone, do you follow through? This week we are going to look at how faithful God is, and try to figure out how we can be even more faithful than we have ever been before.

Time Out:

Has someone ever promised to do something for you or be there for you, but then they didn’t do what they said they would do? How did that make you feel?

Why is it that it hurts so badly when people say one thing and then they do the direct opposite of what they said they would do?

Have you ever done that to someone else?

Why is God being faithful so important to us? (Hint: God being faithful means we can have security. We don’t have to worry if He is going to come through for us because He promises He will.)

I want you to look up three verses today and write down the promises that God makes to you.

Romans 8:39

Deuteronomy 31:6-8

Romans 8:28