Unspeakable Love

True and saving faith begins in a single moment with one lingering gaze of the soul. It then continues throughout a lifetime—persevering, unrelenting, trusting in Jesus. Our faith may quiver from weakness or grow bold at times, but at our core we know that only Jesus can save us; and that through faith alone. Our confidence is not in the greatness of our faith, but in the perfect righteousness of our Lord Christ imputed to us through faith. Indeed, our hearts reject every other hope as false and empty and damning.

The persevering of saving faith is no work of human effort. Faith and its enduring persistence are entirely of grace. None of us has power to generate this faith. Neither can we add perseverance to it once we have received the ability and will to believe from God. We believe and persevere only by grace and strength from above. But persevering is something believers actively do. Wherever saving faith abides, there is a striving to please the Lord and a growing, deepening trust in Him.

Perseverance is one of those “better things” “that accompany salvation” (cf. Hebrews 6:9). Yet it is important to understand that our perseverance is never, in this life, a perfect steadfastness. It is one of the ‘growing graces’ that increases and thrives when fed and nourished and withers if starved or neglected. Therefore, we must nourish our faith so that we may “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

The believer who earnestly strives against his remaining sin and seeks to do righteousness finds that there are still occasions when the heavenly Father touches us with His correcting, training hand. Any of us who finds himself walking in known disobedience will surely know the Lord’s strong hand, as well. And He disciplines us because He loves us, not to harm us or discourage us. Among our greatest comforts is to remember that our Father rebukes and chastens us because we are His and we are cherished as “the apple of His eye.” Because we are His, He will have us be more like Jesus and much less like the world.

We must not be disheartened when He disciplines us, but rather bear up well, trusting His hand and heart. When His dealings with us are puzzling or even painful, shall we doubt our Father’s love? When our comforts seem fewer than ever before and our fears are greater than we ever recall, shall we think His love has diminished? No. But He will have us to trust Him more.

When we have sought His face and feel sure that it is only His back we have seen, we must remember the immutable nature of our Father’s love. If He makes His loves ones wait, if He sends troubles instead of ease for which we prayed, if He says ‘No,’ surely His reasons are wise and good. Dear one, He has not changed and we yet see dimly. In all these hard things we are “more than conquerors” and we may be sure that, despite our present discomfort, His “banner over us” remains ‘Unspeakable Love.’ “Let your heart not be troubled…” (John 14:1). –TSA

“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, …” Hebrews 12:6a NKJV

“…we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them…they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.” Hebrews 12:9-10 NASB

“…the reproofs of discipline are the way of life” Proverbs 6:23 ESV