July 17, 2026

A couple of weeks ago, my family and I had the privilege of hiking in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. With each hike I was blown away by the stunning views and sweeping vistas of the mountains, lakes, and the all-around beauty of the environment that surrounded us.  When I experience something like this, I can’t help but to immediately think about God. I consider the beauty of his majesty and the greatness of his love for us. That he would share such things with us blows my mind! He must love us very much (we, the crown of his creation) to share with us such marvelous works which he knew would point our hearts to his love and faithfulness.

We’ve been looking at Yahweh’s description of himself as he shares it with Moses in Exodus 34:4-7. The book, God has a name, by John Mark Comer, gives wonderful insights into this passage. Here is Exodus 34:4-7.

⁴ So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. ⁶ And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, ⁷ maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

I’d like to focus on the next line that we come to in our series:

 …abounding in love and faithfulness, ⁷ maintaining love to thousands…

This seems to be the hallmark descriptor of God’s posture toward us. Comer reminds us that the pairing of the words “love” and “faithfulness” is used all over the Bible. In Psalms alone this word for “love” is used 126 times! Depending on the translation of the Bible you have, this verse may say ‘steadfast love.’ This word tries to capture the abounding and endless depth and breadth of God’s great love for us.

It wasn’t too long ago that I heard a preacher point out something striking and wonderful from the book of Exodus. God delivers his people from bondage in Egypt, brings them across the Red Sea, and delivers them to safety… establishing his covenant promise with them all BEFORE they did anything! God’s love isn’t dependent upon our actions (Israel hadn’t done anything for God up to this point). God’s love comes, first! This is key. His love drives our worship. His love drives our surrender to him. His love is the impetus of our obedience. Not the other way around. We don’t surrender, obey, or worship him in order to get his love and promises. He gives them to us, and we’re invited into a relationship based on a loving God who moves, first.

Yahweh is also faithful. And, as the next phrase states, he’s loving and faithful to “thousands” or to multitudes of people for eons of time. God is in it with us for the long-haul. God’s faithfulness to his promises is his defining character trait. He will come through. He is patient and good and true. His faithfulness to his promises is what leads us to worship!

Romans 2:4 says, ⁴ Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 

2 Peter 3:9 says, ⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Yahweh intends his love and faithfulness to drive us to repentance, worship, awe, and trust! In your daily spiritual rhythms, how can you practice those things in newer and deeper ways?

God loves you too much to leave you where you currently are. He wants to see you move. As Comer recounts, “God is more concerned with your long-term character than your short-term happiness.” Buckel up. His love and faithfulness pursue you.

Trusting His promises,

Nathan

Nathan Hinkle

Lead Pastor

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