On the third day of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division Year-End Meetings, Brent Burdick, the General Conference's SunPlus Director, shared a devotional message that highlighted the theme "Called to Be Faithful." Burdick reflected on the challenges of striving for faithfulness, a journey that can often feel transactional or riddled with setbacks.
He pointed to the arrival of Jesus as the ultimate example of God’s covenant—a model of supreme character, anchored in faithfulness. Christ’s life on earth demonstrated the depth of God's loyalty to humanity and His desire to instill faithfulness in His followers. Burdick underscored that while character traits often solidify in adulthood, Adventists hold a unique hope in God’s transformative power. By His grace, even deeply set habits and mindsets can be changed.
Burdick reminded attendees that forming a character aligned with God's will is a lifelong process. True character combines a grand purpose with personal integrity, essential qualities that no friend or mentor can fully instill for us. As Burdick expressed, “The harvest of life is character,” suggesting that our characters shape our destiny for this life and the life to come. God’s faithfulness, he emphasized, is not passive but active, seeking to reshape our characters continually.
To illustrate this, Burdick shared a personal story of his father's journey to faith and baptism. This experience served as a reminder of how God’s active role in our lives leads us not only to faithfulness but to a renewed sense of purpose and destiny.
Edward Rodriguez
Email: erodriguez@ssd.org