Case in point...delve back into history. World leaders negotiated tons of promises in treaties. Precious few continued to honor them. Like the adage, "rules were made to be broken". Shame on them all!
The finger can't be totally pointed at others though, because if you recall, three fingers will be pointing right back at yourself. Chagrin, chagrin.
I, for one, know I've made promises in the past to my children, but didn't always keep them. If you promise, for instance, "tomorrow we'll go to the beach, but neglect to add on, "if it doesn't rain," then you are in trouble with your children. They look up to you, trust you, and expect you'll keep your word, rain or shine.
Perhaps in other instances, you've inadvertently forgotten about the promises you've made; happens to the best of us. We get busy; have responsibilities; minds full of thoughts juggling for space up there. Yet the people you've made promises with/to will remember. They will be hurt when you forget; unwittingly or otherwise.
This brings me to talk about our loving heavenly Father, God. What He promises, He fulfills.
2 Peter 3:9 NIV states,
"The Lord is not slow in keeping His promises, as some understand slowness..."
Once again, go back in time, let's see God's track record through some of ancient Israel's past. Look what the leader Joshua recounts in his book Joshua 21:43-45, especially vs 42, 45 (NIV)...
"So the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there...not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."
Did you catch that? "Not one" of God's promises failed.
In Joshua's farewell speech he reminds the leaders of God's faithfulness in promise-keeping. Read Joshua 23:14 (NIV).
"...you know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."
How do you feel about that? Can you start to trust God, your Heavenly Father; even just a glimmer?
Jeremiah 1:12 (NIV) makes me smile as he relates what the LORD said to him.
"The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that My word is fulfilled".
How about that!? God is proactive in making sure what He promises, happens.
Because of those words, Jeremiah confidently shares in Lamentations 2:17 (NIV)...
"The LORD has done what He planned; He has fulfilled His word, which He decreed long ago."
Even though promised "long ago", God was still watching, ensuring the fulfillment of His words.
I want to interject here that some of what God had promised to the Israelites was not always a good result for them. That is, God promised that if they'd obey His way of life, they'd have good consequences. However, if they disobeyed, then punishing consequences would result to their detriment.
It's serious and solemn to enter into a covenant with God! Not to be taken lightly.
The prophet Ezekiel had words to pass on to the Israelites too. He told them,
"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; Whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD.'" (Ezekiel 12:28 NIV).
Having established that God keeps His word, are you curious as to some of those promises He's promised?
This one must have been a heart-stopper...definitely not for the faint-hearted! The Israelites were trapped. In front of them was the Red Sea, behind them was the mighty Egyptian army: Pharoah, from whom they thought they had just escaped and of whom they were petrified; all the fighting men, chariots and horses pursuing and nipping at their heels. God tells Moses to tell the congregation of Israelites, "Be still."!?
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV).
If you read the whole 14th chapter of Exodus, you'll discover...God kept His word. A mighty promise promised and kept.
Flip your Bibles over to Philippians 1:6 (NIV).
"...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
God's promise to the Philippians, a way back when, is still valid for us today if you are a follower of Jesus Christ.
Flip back to Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) for a beautiful promise,
"...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
How many "will's" do you count? That's pretty reassuring. For some more "I will's" by God, peruse Isaiah 41:10, 13; 43:2; 54:10. He will give: strength, help; He'll be with us during our deep, dark times of stress, distress and trouble; and He'll build our lives up with "jewels". Wow!
In Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV), the LORD promises to,
"...go before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you..."
What a wonderful promise! A Father who will "never leave;" "never forsake"!
Just so you don't think the Old Testament has all the promises, here are two more from the New Testament.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5 NIV).
Ask away. He promises to give generously.
All of us followers of Jesus Christ know that just because we've accepted Him as Savior and maybe are even actively, humbly, building that relationship through sanctification, making Him truly LORD of our lives, we do fail. We do, do wrong in His eyes. Thank God for the 1 John 1:9 (NIV)'s promise.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
The 'if' depends on us. God won't force us to confess. He won't sell you short either. If we confess, He'll keep His part of the promise..."He'll forgive". He doesn't just stop at that either. "He'll purify" us from all that unrighteousness that clung from that sin. He is ready and willing and waiting for our "if" to get into action.
What's more, there were many prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the New Testament, most in regards to the birth of Jesus and Jesus' purpose for coming to Earth as a man. Jesus fulfilled His purpose to be the propitiation for the "whosoever" (John 3:16); for you, for me. God offers this salvation now; the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.
Due to God's unfailing record of promise-keeping, one and all can fully trust Him for their salvation. John 3:36 (NIV) emphatically declares:
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
And further into that gospel, John 8:36 (NIV), the joy bells continue to ring out...
"If the son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
Free from sin and condemnation!
Believers in Jesus Christ, we have enormous praise and gratitude to declare back to God for all He has done, for all He is doing, and for all He says He will do in our lives.
As we gather together on Lord's Day to remember what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us through His death and resurrection, rejoice! Rejoice as you pass the bread and wine, one to another. Give thanks for His steadfast love, for His faithfulness down through the ages that has come even, to us. He has proven He is trustworthy and does what He says He will do.
He is the Promise-keeper who keeps His promises for all time and eternity. He dares to make them and keep them.
"He does not fail" Zephaniah 3:5 (NIV)
~ERC February 2019~
A praise song to share with you sung by the Maranatha Singers about the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness.
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