God’s unwavering faithfulness to His children is a profound treasure of His love. This steadfast faithfulness is shown in God’s covenant with Abram. Genesis 15:17 After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. 18 So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day.[1]
Earlier, God had assured Abram that He would fulfill His promises. God would protect him, and his reward would be great. The Lord would give him a son, and he would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. In addition, the entire earth would be blessed through Abram. One day, Jesus would be born through the line of Abram, who would bless the entire earth. If you have placed your faith in Jesus as your Savior, God’s unwavering faithfulness has blessed you.
The Covenant Between Abram and God
The Hebrew word for covenant is translated as “berith” is derived from a root word meaning “ to cut.”[2] A covenant was established when two parties would take the best animal from the flock or herd and cut it in two. Then, the two parties of the covenant would pass between the pieces, symbolizing their devotion to the covenant. By doing this, they declared that if they did not uphold the agreement, the same fate could befall them as had befallen the animal.
In this covenant, only God passed between the halves of the carcasses. The smoking pot and flaming torch moved between the carcasses, symbolizing that God was the only one to pass through the pieces. With Abram asleep, God guaranteed the covenant or agreement for both parties. The Lord walked the path of sacrifice for humanity, foreshadowing Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. As humans, we are sinful and frail, failing to be faithful covenant partners. When Jesus died for our sins on the cross, He paid a price that we could never pay.
Jesus’ Faithfulness
You may have experienced a time or will in the future when it feels like God is unfaithful. You may not feel or see His work. God never promised an absence of trouble, but He does promise faithfulness. Paul writes in Romans 8:28 that God works all things for our good! He is always at work, even if we don’t see it, and it’s for our good if we are in Christ.
If your situation isn’t good, know it’s not over yet. Cling to God’s promises. Call on Him. He who promised is faithful. Deuteronomy 7:9 Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.[3] Take the hand of Jesus, who is ever faithful!
To learn more about God’s unwavering faithfulness, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-in-the-darkness
[1,3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Strong, J. (2009). In A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 2, p. 24). Logos Bible Software.