by John O’Malley
The phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next few months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others. We have already looked at the words inspire, open, tender, helper, and edify.
This month, I am continuing our core values phrase “I Serve Others” series. The second R in I Serve Others stands for Reliable.
The sense of the word reliable is to be consistently good in quality or performance. Someone who is able to be trusted is counted as reliable. The Bible word for reliable is faithful.
1 Samuel 2, while Eli was High Priest and his two sons polluted their office in the temple, God told Eli what would happen to his sons. God also said He would raise up someone who was faithful. The sense of the word faithful in this text is someone who is reliable.
In 1 Samuel 2:35, God explained what He wanted in His servants. He said He wanted reliable people to serve. He wanted people who would know His mind and heart. The servant He chose would do what was in the heart and mind of God. God promised He too would be faithful or reliable to the servant He would raise up.
I want to consider two things this month about the core value of being reliable. First, consider with me God’s reliability to us. Then I want you to evaluate your reliability in your service to Him.
Consider God’s faithfulness or reliability:
- God Himself is faithful — he does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
- God’s Word is faithful — He’s given a more sure word of prophecy.
- God’s presence is reliable — He’s promised never to leave us nor forsake us
- God’s power is reliable — He shows Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him.
- God’s justice is reliable — He is the Judge of the whole earth Who will do right.
Consider our faithfulness or reliability:
- Do the people to whom I bring the Gospel find me reliable in my witness?
- Does my family find me reliable in my promises and availability?
- Do my supporting churches find me reliable in communication and connecting with them?
- Does my spouse see me as reliable in my biblical mandate for my responsibility in our marriage?
- Does everyone with whom I interact see my word as reliable?
We are at our best when we are faithful or reliable to our Master, in our ministries, and in our marriages.
At the missions office, we desire to be reliable to you. We want to honor your requests. We want to be reliable to pray for you when you share with us your heart’s burden. We want to be reliable to be considerate and compassionate when you face challenges.
I believe in the work you are doing for Christ. I want to see you accomplish God’s goals for you and the people to whom He called you.
Let us be reliable.
Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley
If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know.