This might be a hymn you’ve never heard before, but a story that’s really familiar to you: the parable of the ninety nine sheep.

In this parable, Jesus explains that a shepherd has one hundred sheep and one gets lost. This shepherd then leaves his flock to find the missing sheep. If the shepherd finds that lost sheep, he rejoices over having found it more than the ninety-nine that stayed where they were supposed to be. In the same way, heaven rejoices with God the Father over one lost soul coming to salvation.

Faithfulness. To me, this seems like a big one. Like love, it is one of the building blocks of the Christian walk. Many will say that God is love, His very countenance drips with it and every time He acts, the action operates out of it. And yes, over the past weeks, we’ve been seeing how each Fruit of the Spirit is an intrinsic piece of who God is. To that degree, none should be discounted. But to me, God is faithfulness. He wouldn’t be who He is without His steadfast reliability. And maybe that’s not a great word for it. Reliability makes it seem so responsible or obligatory, but to me, God’s faithfulness is the fact that He has never once relented in His pursuits for His people. He is faithful because He loves, but His love for us is because of His faithfulness.

If you’ve been reading and following Soul Deep Devotions since the beginning, then you know my testimony: I’m the girl that’s always known Jesus. I never had this grand, tragic falling away story. Even in my college years, when I was in a sorority and wasn’t actively pursuing the Lord, I wasn’t that far away. My friends still saw me as a goodie-two-shoes. I didn’t do drugs, I didn’t go home with anyone for the night, and I always left the party before things got too crazy.