Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
Joshua 1:9
![]() While listening to a video some weeks ago, I was intrigued by a story the speaker told of a man and his father. They were avid fans of the Chicago Cubs baseball team and as a child, they would listen to games, watch them on television, even visit games together. However, for years the Cubs had failed to reach the World Series. One day they made a pledge that not if, but when, the Cubs managed to reach the World Series again they would listen to the game together. Years later in 2016, the Cubs finally made it to the World Series. Unfortunately, the boy had grown up and was now living in another State far away from his father. But, that did not stop him. He made his way from Indiana all the way back to North Carolina because he was determined to keep his pledge. When he got there, he did not make his way to his childhood home but made his way instead to his father’s grave. You see, a few years before this phenomenal event, his father had passed away. Yet, in spite of this - the greatest obstacle of all to his being able to keep his pledge - he still went, set up a chair by his father’s grave, put on his phone and they listened to the game together. He had kept his pledge. To some of us this would seem silly, foolish, to keep a pledge under the circumstances. But to this young man, keeping his promise was that important. That’s the kind of attitude even our God has. No matter what, He keeps His end of the bargain. Remember last week I had spoken about my season of being backslidden, when I had moved away from God. As I faced the ups and downs of that challenging time, I realized in retrospect that my God had not moved; He not gone anywhere, I was the one who had moved. God’s love for me NEVER stopped, His care for me NEVER dwindled, in fact He remained very steadfast and immoveable. He continued to keep His end of the bargain, His end of our covenant even when I had broken mine. His Word says that He is married to the backslider and that is exactly the picture portrayed in the book of Hosea. God asked the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute to exemplify His relationship with His people Israel (Hosea 1:1-2). Hosea’s wife was unfaithful to him yet God encouraged him to go after her, to give her another chance, in short to keep his end of the bargain even though she was not keeping hers (Hosea 3:1-3). It was painful, it was embarrassing, but he obeyed God because he had to show the people by his example how much God loved them in spite of their unfaithfulness. The young man in the story faced two challenges to keeping his pledge: one, it was years later and he had moved far away from home but two – and this is the most challenging obstacle of them all – his father had died. His father was not there and was therefore not in a position to keep his end of the bargain but that did not stop his son. He was alive, he was more than able to keep his pledge ... and he did. Think about how many times we mess up but God strangely enough is still there. We may feel as if He is so far away but in reality He is right there, faithful, caring, forgiving, loving. Isaiah 54:10 says: “‘For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has mercy on you.” I don’t know who this is for but God has not changed His mind about you. No matter how much you may have messed up, no matter how long you have been ignoring His call, God has not given up on you. He is keeping His promise to love you, take care of you, forgive you. God is serious about relationship even when we are not. He is serious about you even when you are not serious about Him. Once you are alive there is always a chance, even ten chances, to come to Him. God says in Jeremiah 31:3: “...Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” So, no matter how things look, no matter what you do, no matter what seems to be happening to you, no matter if He seems to be taking long to answer, just remember that God has not given up on you. His plans for you are still good plans, His thoughts toward you are still precious thoughts because His love for you will never fail, it will never change, it remains the same. If you have not asked Jesus Christ to come into your life as your Lord and Savior I encourage you to do so now. God is not turned off by all your mistakes and flaws, or even by how many times you mess up. God is still going to be God no matter what you do or fail to do. He is God all by Himself and His love for you is NOT dependent on you but on who He is.
3 Comments
Vernice Marcia Buchan-Mansingh
26/6/2021 04:30:08 pm
Thankyou Jesus,it is amazing He did not search for an excuse,but Hestayed true for me and for everyone. Blessings
Reply
Kerry-Ann Lewis
2/7/2021 04:24:22 pm
Yes He does not need an excuse to love us. He loves us no matter how undeserving we may be. That's the God we serve!
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February 2025
AuthorThis blog provides inspirational nuggets inspired by the Word of God and serves to encourage and motivate Christians in their Christian walk. |