What does cozy mean to you? Is it a warm sweater on a chilly fall day, an ultra-soft blanket on your bed, or a hot bowl of homemade soup while the rain pours outside? Or maybe it’s curling up with your spouse, kids, cat, or dog for cuddles in front of the fire on a cold autumn night.
Those things are all wonderful, of course, but what about your relationship with God? Have you ever thought of your faith in the Lord as cozy? That’s not a word we typically attribute to God, but think about it: Psalm 145:18 tells us that
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.
Psalm 139:4–5, 17 (NLT) says,
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my head... How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
And Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) says,
God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.
We can see from these verses that God is closer, more comforting — and yes, cozy — to us than anything or anyone else could ever be. He thinks about us all the time and wants us to know Him. And it gives Him great pleasure to have us in His family.
When we set aside time to talk with our loving Father, we are comforted and can cozily rest in Him. We desire to praise and thank Him for His many blessings. Our love for Him grows, and the anxieties and difficulties in our lives start to fade in His Presence.
What better time of year than fall, as the year prepares to wind down and we start to think of pumpkin bread and spiced lattes, to cozy more into our relationship with our Savior, thanking and honoring Him for His sacrifice, love, and intimate care of us? It’s our sincere hope and prayer that this little book will be your guide over the next 100 days to doing just that.
*
Faithful God, Faithless Us
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. — Deuteronomy 7:9
We human beings are such a mixed bag! We can be thankful that God doesn’t give up on us. Think about Abram. God said,
Go from your country... to the land I will show you. — Genesis 12:1 NIV
—and Abram did! God gave him no itinerary, map, GPS, or cell phone, and He hadn’t made any hotel reservations. God said, “Go!” and Abram went. What faith!
But Abram hadn’t gone far before he made a poor choice. In Genesis 12 — the same chapter that tells of Abram’s obedience — he lied to Pharaoh’s officials, saying that his wife, Sarai, was his sister. Later Abram lied again in a similar situation, and King Abimelech called him on it:
You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done. — Genesis 20:9
Both times Abram protected his own neck. He didn’t want a foreign king killing him in order to make Sarai first a widow and then a bride. Apparently doubting God’s ability or willingness to protect his life, Abram lied about Sarai twice.
We see in Abram and in ourselves a crazy combination of faithful and fickle, trusting and doubting, obedient and rebellious.
Thank God He always stays faithful to us!
Thank You, Lord, that Your faithfulness to me is not dependent on my faithfulness to You. Please grow my faithfulness!
*
Examples of Faith
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. — Hebrews 11:1
Faith is a hard thing to define. We can be grateful for the examples we have in Hebrews 11 and elsewhere, for the pictures they paint of faithfulness are indeed worth thousands of words.
- Noah built a massive boat to house pairs of all the animals and birds on the earth.
- Commanded to lead God’s people out of Egypt, Moses and Aaron confronted the most powerful man in the land, Pharaoh, and demanded their release.
- Facing 450 enemy prophets, Elijah set up a sacrifice and drenched it with water three times before inviting God to set it afire.
- Daniel risked death in the den of hungry lions.
Circumstances varied, and the faith of these human beings probably wavered at least a little along the way. But God’s working in the situations they faced was not dependent on their faith — and that is true for us today. It is God’s power that saves us.
While faith may be hard to define, we know it when we see it. Can others see it in you?
Thank You for Your example of faithfulness, Lord Jesus. Help me be as faithful.
*
God’s Track Record
My heart is confident in You, O God; no wonder I can sing Your praises with all my heart! — Psalm 108:1 NLT
The Olympics are always full of intense, hold-your-breath moments. Will the swimmer pull ahead in the last few strokes? She needs to stick her vault landing for a shot at the medal podium. That speed skater needs to have the race of his life — will he pull through?
If you’re watching a rookie in that pressure-filled position, it’s nerve-racking. No one — not even the coach — knows how she’ll perform under the immense Olympic pressure. But if you’re watching a five-time Olympic medalist and you’re asking the same questions, it’s not quite as stressful; he has proven himself time and time again. Your confidence in him is extremely high; he has always pulled through, even in impossible situations.
God has a proven track record, doesn’t He? He never makes promises in vain; He means what He says. He is the epitome of faithfulness.
Abraham knew this. Romans 4 says,
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. — vv. 20–21
In life there’s no need to hold your breath. What God has promised He is also able to perform. Let that resound in your grateful heart today.
Faithful God, thank You for Your impeccable track record!
Excerpted with permission from Cozy Faith: Devotions, Prayers, and Blessings for Fall, copyright Zondervan.
* * *
Your Turn
God is always faithful! Have you thought about that today? Whatever you’re going through right now, you can count on God to be faithful because He always is! Even when we fail, miss the mark, and sin, He is faithful. Praise Him for that today! ~ Devotionals Daily