By Nancy McDowell

As I reflect on the word "faithful," many things come to mind. It is the husband or wife who has prayed diligently for the spouse who has been unfaithful. Perhaps it is the Christian worker who has been found faithful over the years, doing what God called him to do, not bailing out when things got tough or when he didn't feel like serving or ministering anymore. Then there is the employee who consistently produces excellent work for an unreasonable boss. I think of the Apostle Paul who faced danger, suffering, and death, yet remained faithful in spreading the gospel. He believed that without faithfulness to this commitment, his life was worthless. Being faithful implies allegiance to one's beliefs, to an oath or an obligation. It is marked by showing a strong sense of duty or responsibility to that obligation.

Allegiance to the commitments we have made is not always easy. In fact it is often hard. Day to day I don't always know how God will choose to use me. Nevertheless, He has called me to be His servant and my desire is to be found faithful. Revelation 2:l0b says, ". . . be thou faithful until death and I will give thee a crown of life."

The root word of faithful is faith. Abraham, being made righteous by His faith, received God's promise (Romans 4:13). It was his faith in God that made him righteous and enabled him ultimately to receive God's promise. It wasn't his love for God, his good works or his adherence to any rituals.

Hebrews 11 tells us that strong faith is evidenced by a life that is faithful to God's call, even when we can't see the results. The words faith and faithful work together. A person who trusts in God demonstrates faithfulness by leading a life of obedience, peace, hope, and perseverance. Do you desire the crown of life at Christ's return that Revelation 2:10 talks about?

Five years ago, God led me to begin a Bible study for police wives. My prayer has been that wives would come to know the Lord, that they would be encouraged to love and respect their husbands, Christian or non-Christian, and, most of all, that they would learn to know God and develop an intimate love relationship with Him. II Peter 1:3 says that God has called us to know Him and given us everything we need for a life of godliness. My prayer is that I would remain faithful in ministering to police wives. Often police wives question me about how I deal with constantly changing shifts and days off. They also ask if I fear for my husband's safety. Being a police family brings many challenges to our faithful walk with the Lord. However, knowing God and having a personal relationship with Him gives me the strength to trust Him for my husband's safety. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind." II Tim. 1:7. The enemy, Satan, would like me to live in fear and even in discontent of my husband's schedule. God the Holy Spirit is the One who gives peace, joy, and contentment in spite of our circumstances.

Focus your energy on being the godly wife God has called you to be; pray unceasingly for your husband, his safety, his covering and protection. Encourage him to be all that God wants him to be. If your husband doesn't know the Lord remember, God brought you together for a purpose. According to I Peter 3:1,2 husbands may be won without a word by the respectful behavior of their wives~ He makes no mistakes and loves you more than you could ever imagine. He wants you to put your faith and trust in Him, no matter what your situation.

God has given Dave and me a vision for police families all over the world to come to Him. As we continue in this ministry to police officers and their families, we pray that God would find us faithful to the end. What areas of your life is God requiring faithfulness? In your marriage? At work? In your personal relationship with Him, or maybe in sharing Christ's love with a fellow worker? When Christ calls you to do something for Him, He promises to bring it to pass (I Thes 5:24).

What will be the result of that faithfulness? A spouse who finds the Lord? A boss who wonders why you're different? Will God require you to remain faithful to Him, believing He is in control, even at the toughest times? How about when you may be longing for a child like Abraham, or waiting for a spouse to return home and to the Lord? I challenge you to put your faith in Him and demonstrate your obedience by a life of allegiance to what God has called us to do.