God Always Has Been, and Forever Will Be, Faithful

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow”(James 1:17). The Bible says that God is forever faithful. I believe that. However, I will also be the first to admit that simply because I believe something to be true does not mean I always act like it. Like you, I face a daily bombardment of uncertainties, challenges, and circumstances that are inherent in a fallen world. Sometimes these uncertainties, challenges, and circumstances catch me off-guard. Sometimes they turn my world upside down. Sometimes they leave me with more questions than answers. It is during times like these we must endeavor to turn our attention to and meditate upon what I believe to be the greatest truth about God’s eternal character—His faithfulness. The Bible is crystal clear on this point and leaves no room for debate. God always has been, and forever will be, faithful.

James, writing about the God who gives perfect gifts to His children, says this about Him: “There is no variation or shifting shadow.” The use of the words variation and shifting is interesting. In using these words, James is probably referring to the sun, which because of the Earth’s rotation, “varies” its position in the sky throughout the day. This variation in position results in shifting shadows on earth. It’s a great illustration because we have all seen shadows and we have all witnessed the shifting of shadows brought about by the varying position of the sun throughout the day. But James reminds us it is not like this with God. God is the “Father of lights,” meaning He is the Creator of the sun and stars—the heavenly bodies that give off light. And unlike these heavenly bodies that are constantly changing or appearing to change, the “Father of lights” does not change. He is faithful and with Him, “there is no variation or shifting shadow.” This is in perfect agreement with Malachi 3:6, which says, “For I, the Lord, do not change.” Because God does not change, we can count on Him to be faithful—always! The same thought is captured in Psalm 100:5, “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.” This basically means His truth endures. Because His truth endures, because He is faithful and forever will be, the Bible says, “And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). Because God always has been, and forever will be, faithful, we can believe Him. Abraham did, and the Bible says, “It was credited to Him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:3). Sarah believed because, “she considered Him faithful who had promised” (Heb. 11:11). This is the Word of the Lord!

I do not know what is transpiring in your life right now. I only know what is going on in my own. But this much I do know—God always has been, and forever will be, faithful! When God told Joshua to meditate upon His Word (Joshua 1:8), He was basically charging Joshua to meditate upon His faithfulness. Joshua was about to embark on the greatest challenge of His life—leading the children of Israel into the Promise Land. He needed to be assured of God’s faithfulness. The Psalmist wrote, “Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97). Only those who love the Word of God and endeavor to meditate upon and obey it will believe God. And only those who meditate upon God’s faithfulness can face the uncertainties, challenges, and circumstances that life throws our way. Remember, no matter what happens in this life, God is faithful—He always has been, and He forever will be, faithful! No changes on this earth can cast a shadow on the unchanging Father of lights. “In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us” (Heb. 6:17-20).