ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 FALAITE ‘EPELELI 24, 2026

2 TU’I 12-14; 2 KOLINITO 5:18-21

Our hope in life and death is found not in our faithfulness, but in the perfect faithfulness of our Savior.

Ko ‘etau ‘amanaki ‘i he mo’ui mo e mate ‘oku ‘ikai makatu’unga ‘i he’etau ngaue tonunga, ka ‘i he ngaue tonunga haohaoa ‘a hotau Fakamo’ui.

It was not my finest moment, by any measure. I was impatient and irritated. We had made plans, and I was watching my plans evaporate as Luella was waylaid by a phone call from work. The call seemed to last an eternity, and the delay seemed personal, although it wasn't. I paced the floor, making sure she knew I was not happy that we weren't leaving. When she got off the phone, I was cold and distant. But by God's grace, conviction set in quickly. It was all very humbling. I confessed my impatience, and Luella graciously forgave me. As we drove away, the gospel exploded in my brain. This is why my hope is never in my obedience, my faithfulness, my wisdom, or my righteousness. This side of eternity, I will never have a perfect track record to lay before the throne of God. I am not an intentional rebel against God or a heretic. I do not mock his existence or flaunt my transgression of his law. But even though I am a child of God, I am not yet sin-free. The longer I walk with the Lord, the clearer it is to me that my hope is not in my faithfulness, but in the absolute perfection of the faithfulness of my Lord.

You could argue that one of the main themes of the Old Testament is divine covenant faithfulness cast in contrast to human unfaithfulness. The story of the people of God is one of sin, repentance, and temporary obedience, followed by apostasy once again--and the cycle repeats. You want to scream, "Is there anyone faithful in Israel?" The answer is, "Yes, the Lord of Israel, Jehovah alone." You see this unfaithfulness/faithfulness contrast in an important passage in 2 Kings 13: 

"Now Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now" (2 Kings 13:22-23).

In spite of Israel's rebellion and idolatry, God keeps the Syrians at bay. He does so not because the Israelites have earned his favor through a track record of covenant faithfulness. No, the opposite is true. If their relationship to God had been based on their performance of the law, then God would have abandoned them long ago. Instead, God had compassion on Israel and turned toward them because he is faithful and will fulfill his covenant promises.

So it is with us. Our standing before God is based not on our righteousness but on the perfect righteousness of Jesus. He perfectly measured up for us in every way, because he knew that we never would. Here in 2 Kings, during the dark days of Israel's rebellion, the gospel is preached to us once again. Our hope in life and death rests on our Savior's faithfulness, not our own.