He autographs my copy of his book, along with a postscript – 1 Cor. 1:9.
I visited this biblical address in my morning deliberations with God.
“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”
Word by word, I let this one simmer in my soul.
God. Calling me. Into fellowship. With Jesus. My Lord. Is. Faithful.
I notice the bookends – God and faithful. Could it be any other way? Sometimes I think it might be, but my thinking (especially when emotions are involved) doesn’t always accurately portray truth. No, it cannot be any other way. God and faithfulness go hand in hand. There is not one without the other. God cannot be unfaithful, and faithfulness is defined by God. Faithful is who he is; faithful is what he does. Knowing this … believing this, I can live my life confidently, in peace, and with the full assurance that God will see me through to the finish line, come what may.
Why, then, do I sometimes crumble with the come what may?
Come what may. What came into my life last weekend was a phone call, preceded by a car accident involving my eldest son. And while he’s OK and his car is on the road to being repaired, I’ve yet to fully recover. Seeing his Scion crashed into an embankment, along with a “stop sign” buried in the sandy soil beneath the carriage of his car, has left a lasting impression on my mind. Hearing his cries for help on the other end of the phone has left a lasting impression on my soul.
It matters not the come what may, especially ones of the crumbling kind. They leave lasting imprints.
- Sickness.
- Death.
- Divorce.
- Abuse.
- Crime.
- Unemployment.
- Under-employment.
- Financial strain.
- Learning difficulties.
- Relational woes.
- Dreams deferred.
- Dreams forgotten.
- ______________.
My recent come what may came and went; still and yet, it lingers in me. Tearing up my peace. Messing with the truth. My what ifs have temporarily dislodged the what is. What is?
God is faithful. Regardless of my come what may, God is faithful. I should rest securely in between.
I hate that I forget this, that I often don’t live this. It’s so concrete, so foundational to the faith that I profess to believe. When adversity howls down my pathway, I’m often paralyzed by the blinding darkness that surrounds me. The enemy would have it this way.
Come what mays grow larger in the dark. Come what mays thrive in the shadows. Come what mays come and stay when entertained in the cover of night.
It’s only with the light and witness of God’s presence that I am able to dispel the darkness and make the next step of faith. When I can see truth (even just a little bit), I’m able to move through the reality of my come what may and make progress toward something better. That better?
My Father’s come what may.
His faithfulness. Time and again, God showing up on the scene of my life and making certain that he can be seen. Touched. Tasted. Heard. Felt. I’ve never encountered a come what may that he wasn’t there in the midst of the chaos. My mess is his mess too. And when I embrace his light, when I take hold of the sacred lantern and lift it up against my fledgling faith, my come what may shudders and begins to break apart beneath the weight of holy illumination.
Come what may, God’s faithfulness does not change. It can be ignored, but it cannot be altered. His faithfulness stands, even in the midst of our crumbling messes … especially then.
“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”
Let this promise simmer in your souls, friends. Let this truth settle deeply within your spirit.
Come what may, our Father has the final say. He is faithful. He will keep us through the night and, with the morning light, bring word of his unfailing love. This is enough light, the right light to move me forward. I know this is truth.
God help me to live it, even as I boldly proclaim it … come what may.
Amen, amen.
Love you, sister.
To trade the what if’s for the what is… is everything. Thank you for sharing Elaine, it’s a blessing to hear your words and the truth expressed. Read Melanie’s blog, I just read hers and yours within minutes…
Hers is a powerful witness! Knowing some of her story, I’m strengthened by her continuing faith. She’s a blessing, as are you friend.
This was much needed today. You know about the fire that forced us to evacuate our home three weeks ago. Now there’s another raging fire, farther away, but still TOO close for comfort.
Come what may.
I think that’s just another way to say, “Thy will be done” – knowing that whatever His will is, HE will remain right by our side, faithful through it all.
GOD BLESS!
My prayers for your safety abound!
Trusting in God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness is seeing our family through some incredibly heartbreaking years as we wait on Him to bless K&S with a child. Knowing that He loves them and has His perfect plan in place gives us all strength to keep waiting. May we continue to proclaim His faithfulness come what may as well. Appreciate your messages of strength and faith here, Elaine!
Staying on my knees, Cheryl, for so many things right now. More importantly, staying on my knees because God’s peace is a rich reward for being there. Thinking of your family tonight.
Thanks, Elaine!
God has had me pondering the absoluteness of His faithfulness of late. I’m not sure we can even begin to understand the extent of it, though. I’m so glad your boy is ok. God gives us fresh manna for each ‘come what may’, doesn’t He? Blessings to you.
Daily strength, Leah. Oh how I need the Father’s strong arm right now.
Elaine,
This is beautifully written from the heart. The moment I saw the title, “Come What May” in my Inbox I didn’t have to click on it before my spirit knew that the writing of this woman’s heart will be about the faithfulness of our God.
I sobbed the moment my eyes fell upon, “God is faithful. Regardless of my come what may, God is faithful. I should rest securely in between”.
We KNOW that He’s faithful but when the pains of life arise it is then we have to FIGHT to hold on to the KNOWING by not focusing on the actual circumstance. I am in that right now with a loved one whose life seems to be unraveling moment by moment. Breaks my heart because I feel helpless in that persons life but then I remember the KNOWING — GOD is faithful! I know it. I believe it. I believe Him and come what may, I will stand on that unshakeable truth!
You’ve stirred me this morning. I feel a post coming from what you’ve written here today and stirred in my spirit. I just may have to write it.
Love you.
Your continuing strength is a strength for me, Lisa. Thank you for standing firm and always being a voice of courage for me.
(I’m thinking it’s rather easy to say, “Come what may” before it comes…..but at least it’s good practice for when it DOES….as it surely will!)
The promise of 1 Corinthians 1:9 IS simmering – and comes up in a tune form I composed it for some quizzers MANY moons ago when I was a Bible quiz coach! What a long life I’ve lived. How faithful He’s been.
I know I know this but I often forget. Thank God His faithfulness is indeed unalterable. I need this so much. Thank you so much, Elaine.
Powerful words for my morning time with God. He woke me even earlier this morning. He is desperately trying to speak to me and I am desperately listening for His Words. He knows my spiritual sufferings and like salve on a wound, healing words are found in this post. I went to I Cor 1 and read the whole chapter…verse 8 called me to linger with verse 9 in which you drew your insight from: “He will keep you strong until the end so that on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes, you will be free from all blame.God is faithful. He is the one who has chosen you to share life with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”. For me this morning, a familiar passage but a new revelation of two verses written so long ago for a trouble, exhausted soul trying to understand her purpose and her journey in life for this season.
I have to say it again…THANK YOU for listening to Him and posting such phenomenal reflections from our God.
Pamela