"God is faithful." 1 Cor 1:9
Paul's reminder at the beginning of his first letter to the church in Corinth is stark, but hopeful and consoling. That God is faithful, Paul insists, is the foundation of our faith. It is not our faith practices that save us, but the gift of faith given to us by God, and Paul knows that, from time to time, every community of believers needs to hear this. It is no less true in our families.
Knowing that our parents and siblings are faithful to us gives us the courage to let go and strike out of our own. While some leave home and country to escape an oppressive life, most of us are able to reach beyond our own homes and families because we know that wherever we go and whatever we do, our families will support us.
Paul uses this image to help us understand that God, like a father, will always be there for us, and even more than we can realize or fully appreciate. God is faithfulness itself. God cannot be otherwise and Jesus is the ultimate sign of this truth. Even when God's people lack faith and turn away from its practice and beliefs, God is waiting, like a forgiving father, (Lk 15) for our return.
Today, pause and remember God's faithfulness in gratitude.
What keeps you faithful to God and the gospel?
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