FAITHFUL HANDS IN MINISTRY (1)

“Moreover it is required in STEWARDS that one be found FAITHFUL” – 1 Corinthians 4:2

GOD places high premium on FAITHFUL HANDS in MINISTRY: “Moreover it is required in STEWARDS that one be found FAITHFUL” (1Cor.4:2). Stewardship, service, or ministry without faithfulness is unacceptable to God. Faithfulness is the outworking or overflow of our fullness of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Any so-called faith that does not manifest in faithfulness is a counterfeit or fake faith. Faithfulness expresses itself in unwavering and absolute loyalty to God or to His cause at any cost. Paul testified of Pricilla and Aquila, his “fellow workers in Christ Jesus who risked their own necks” for his life (Rom.16: 3-4). He wrote about his own ministry: “So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1The.2: 8).

Faithfulness involves fulfilling our responsibilities to God, His Kingdom or His creatures, irrespective of how inconvenient or tough these may be. However, the foundation of our faithfulness is God’s own Faithfulness: “GOD is FAITHFUL, by whom you were called into the fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1Cor.1:9). Our faithfulness is the proper response to His Faithfulness: “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the FAITHFUL GOD who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Dt.7:9). God is faithful to keeping His Word and making good all of His promises: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num.23:19).

God’s Faithfulness is one of His richest character attributes. It is both who He is and what He does! His faithfulness can never not be! It’s that quality of being committed and true to His word; being steadfast and trustworthy in performing His promises. God’s faithfulness is infinite: “Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your Faithfulness reaches to the clouds” (Psa.36:5). God affirms that His Faithfulness is unfailing: “Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My Faithfulness to fail” (Psa.89:33). God’s Faithfulness is transgenerational: “Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides” (Psa.119:90). If God is so immeasurable, unfailing, and enduring in faithfulness, there is no excuse on our part as His children, to not be faithful.

In the last few days, we’ve noted the significance of diligence in service. Diligence is actually one key quality of a faithful person. Faithfulness is more encompassing than diligence. A truly faithful person will exercise diligence. Whoever is not diligent is definitely not faithful. Our Lord Jesus Christ was faithful in fulfilling the Father’s will. We’re supposed to follow in His footsteps of faithfulness; and we can and should!

Ministry is a stewardship or work of service that God gives each of His children, along with the grace to fulfil it. Paul wrote to the Church at Colosse, specifying an individual, Archippus: “Take heed to the MINISTRY which you have RECEIVED in the Lord, that you may fulfil it” (Col.4:17). If we would be faithful in ministry, we must never forget that God is the Ultimate Giver: “And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (v.7). However, He never promised that the ministry would be easy; in fact, He promised just the opposite (2Tim.3:12; 1Pet.4:12). To be faithful in ministry means to engage in God’s call to serve in good times and bad times, when we feel like it and when we don’t.

The faithful hand in ministry views delays, obstacles, and oppositions as necessary storms on the way to destination, not excuses to abandon ship! The faithful hand knows that God’s promise is infallible: “A faithful man will abound with BLESSINGS…” (Pro.28:20a). We must never give up or quit doing what God has clearly called us to do. Faithfulness will always pay off with blessings!