Love to hear from and know who is listening
I am sure you can all think of someone that promises to do something and then doesn't live up to their promise. Without naming any person in particular I am sure we can all agree that we have heard a campaign promise from a politician at least once, if not more, that they did not live up to. Politicians are notorious for making promises in order to secure your vote and then not keeping that promise. Whatever you do, don't make a promise to one of your children or grandchildren and not live up to it. They can forget absolutely everything, but a promise made by a parent. On more than once occasion I have promised my grandchildren that I would take them out for ice cream at Dairy Queen after church. This promise is usually made as a bargaining chip after I pick them on from their parents home on Friday. Most frequently the promise comes shortly after the chaos in the car gets to the point I can't bare it any longer and in a moment of weakness I shout out, “If you kids can keep quiet the rest of the way home I will take you out for ice cream after church on Sunday and before you go back home to your parents.” Generally the remainder of the ride home goes pretty good, but when I am putting the grandchildren to bed Friday night they will remind me, don't forget about ice cream after church on Sunday Papa. Then Saturday morning as soon as their eyes are open I will get another reminder, Papa don't forget ice cream after church on Sunday. Shortly after lunch Saturday I will get another reminder and yet another before bed on Saturday night. Then before the sun rises on Sunday morning a small hand will tap my shoulder while I am still in bed and from an innocent child's mouth will come the words, did you remember ice cream after church today Papa? I tell you this story just to illustrate to you the importance of keeping your promises. I am not sure how accurate of a count this is but according to a quick internet search the bible records 7,487 promises that God has made to man and God keeps all his promises.
Psalms 145:13 NIV Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.
Here are just a few of the promises God has made to man. Fear not for I am with you; Isaiah 44:10. He will never leave you - nor forsake you; Deuteronomy 31:8. Take heart for I have overcome the world; John 16:33. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest; Mark 11:28. Trust God for I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future; Jeremiah 29:11. This is just a few of God's promises. There simply isn't enough time for me to read them all to you. The Bible is full of promises from God. But sometimes we get discouraged because it feels like God doesn’t come through for us. Can we actually trust God to keep all the promises he makes in Scripture?
Numbers 23:19 NIV God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
We can trust God to come through because God is faithful. It is contrary to his divine nature to lie or to make an empty promise. We can also trust that God's promises to us are in our best interest even when our lives seems to be spinning out of control and we can't seem to see any good in our current situation. We can see this from this promise in Romans.
Romans 8:28 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
