Still Faithful

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” —Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)

We’ve all known relationships where grace showed up unexpectedly. A friend who forgave us after we forgot something important. A mentor who kept believing in us despite our missteps. A parent or sibling who offered love not because we earned it, but because it was simply who they were. These moments—tender, undeserved, and healing—reveal something of God’s heart.

But even the best human relationships falter. Promises are broken. Trust is strained. We disappoint and are disappointed. And yet, Scripture tells us that God is not like us in this way. His faithfulness is not fragile. His covenant love endures—not just for a season, but for a thousand generations.

In today’s verse, Moses speaks to Israel on the threshold of the Promised Land, reminding them that the Lord is not only God but the faithful God, whose covenant love endures across generations. God has delivered them from slavery in Egypt and is now fulfilling his promise to their forefather Abraham—a promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. This covenant is not a fleeting assurance; it is a declaration of divine character. God’s faithfulness is not just proclaimed—it is enacted. It’s a thread woven through the fabric of Scripture, echoing from the Psalms to the letters of Paul.

The psalmist declares that “from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him” (Psalm 103:17), affirming that God's mercy spans beyond human limits. Paul, writing from within his Jewish identity, acknowledges that many in Israel did not recognize Jesus as Messiah. Yet he insists in Romans 11 that this is not the end of Israel’s story. In God’s unfolding plan, Gentiles are graciously included in the covenant community—not by replacing Israel, but by being grafted into the same root of promise through faith. This inclusion honors the enduring covenant God made with Abraham and affirms that Israel remains beloved (Romans 11:17–29).

Elsewhere, Paul reminds Gentile believers that they were once far off—strangers to the covenants of promise—but now, through Christ, they have been brought near by his blood (Ephesians 2:13). This is not a new covenant in isolation, but a fulfillment and extension of the one God made with Israel—a covenant now written on hearts, as Jeremiah foretold (Jeremiah 31:31–34), and sealed by the Spirit.

God’s faithfulness is not passive tolerance—it is active, pursuing grace that meets us where we are and calls us forward. It invites a response: love and obedience. Jesus fulfills the covenant and welcomes us—not as spectators, but as participants in a relationship shaped by grace and transformation.

God’s faithfulness is not a loophole—it’s a lifeline. We are not excused from loving God and keeping his commandments; we are empowered to do so because he first loved us. His enduring commitment invites an enduring response from us.

Take a moment to reflect. Let these questions guide your heart toward honest prayer and renewed trust:

• Where have you experienced God’s faithfulness despite your own faltering steps?

• Where might you be called to renew your love and obedience—not out of fear, but out of gratitude?

This week, consider one area where you’ve been tempted to give up—on yourself, on someone else, or even on God. Let Deuteronomy 7:9 remind you: God has not given up. His covenant grace still stands.

Faithful God, you have loved us across generations, through wilderness and wandering, through rebellion and return.  Thank you for your covenant of love that does not depend on our perfection but calls us to deeper devotion. Help us to love you with our whole hearts and walk in your ways—not to earn your favor, but to live in response to it. Where we have faltered, restore us. Where we have grown weary, renew us. May your faithfulness shape our faithfulness, today and always. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim

Note: I’ll be pausing devotions from July 28 to August 5. During this time, I invite you to revisit past reflections and spend time in Scripture, trusting that God’s faithfulness meets us anew each day.