The Tried and True God -- A Repost
“Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
I can't tell you how many times I've read and heard that verse. To say that it's been at least one hundred would not be an exaggeration. But each time, I missed a vital part of the verse. I focused on the foundation and corner stone, and let me tell you, it's a blessing to know that my "house of faith" is built on a solid foundation--one that weathers the storms of life and hold secure no matter what. But in that focus, I overlooked another principle that is equally as wonderful--"a tried stone."
The word "tried" is defined as something that has proven effective or reliable before; tested and proved good, dependable, or trustworthy. Oh, yes! That's my God! He has proven Himself effective and reliable. His faithfulness and power have been tested countless times, and He has always shown Himself to be dependable and trustworthy. Just ask Daniel in the lion's den or the three Hebrew children in the flames. Ask Noah as the ark tossed about on the sea or Moses as he strolled through a different sea. Ask Jonah, who came out of the whale's belly or Lazarus, who came out of the grave. Pick a character within the pages of God's Word, and you're likely to hear a testimony of how God came through. That's just how He works in the lives of His children!
How I could have overlooked something so wonderful, I don't know, but I'm certainly glad God allowed me to catch it now. What a treasure to cling to when life has us down. God has been tested, tried and found faithful. He is tried and true, dependable to the end. And we can trust, without a doubt, that if He came through for His children back then (and we know He did), then He'll come through for us too. After all, God is not a respecter of persons. He doesn't play favorites. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that He never changes. So, if He was faithful yesterday, He'll be faithful today. And in that knowledge, we can rest easy and wait for God to prove Himself reliable once again.