It might be politicians who promise “No new taxes or athletes promising (even while under oath) that they have never, ever taken any performance enhancing drugs (except during those five years in Boston). It might be marriages, in which two people make a promise to love one another for better or for worse” (unless of course “worse” means financial hardship sexual frustration boredom tension compromise sacrifice or anything in between). Regardless of the form our world is full of empty and broken promises.
As a result most of us are incredibly jaded and skeptical when we hear someone say “I promise.”
It starts at a pretty young age. “I’ll give you my old toy says one. Promise? Swear? Pinky promise? Swear on your mother’s grave?!” asks the other. It is obvious that we approach promises suspiciously and skeptically.
So what happens when we hear God make a promise? Are we just as skeptical when the words “I promise” come out of the mouth of the Almighty as we are when they come out of the mouth of some sleazy used-car salesman?
Because when God speaks to humanity more often than not he makes a promise. And God is the great promise keeper. Not promise maker. Not promise breaker. Promise keeper. Numbers 23:19 says: “God is not a man that he should lie nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Hebrews 10:23 goes on to elaborate: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.”
One of the most important yet overlooked phrases in all of Scripture is “just as the Lord had promised.” When Abraham and Sarah finally had a child of their own it happened “just as the Lord had promised” (Genesis 21:1). When the Israelites were rescued from the bondage of Egyptian captivity it happened “just as the Lord had promised” (Exodus 12:25). Or when it looked as if God had left the building a lowly child was found lying in a manger in some destitute cave and 33 years later walked out of a very similar cave conquering death and proving God is always present and active. And need I say it all happened “just as the Lord had promised” (Luke 2:29).
In fact Joshua 21:45 tells us that we shouldn’t be surprised — “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled!”
God always comes through. He always does what he says. He always follows through on his promises. He is the great promise keeper.
And this is important because sin’s primary method of attack sin’s most enticing appeal is found in the promises it makes: If you just give in tonight and have a few extra drinks it won’t hurt so badly anymore; if you just give yourself away sexually and cross that line you drew in the sand you will be loved; if you drag other people down and rub their name in the mud you will get to the top much faster and make a name for yourself; if you maintain your relationship with your roommate by not sharing Christ with them you will be accepted and more popular. It goes on from there.
Sin will always win the battle unless we cling to love and believe in God’s promises more than the promises of sin. Unless we enter our day armed with one or two precious and very great promises we will be utterly vulnerable to temptation. But if we hold before our eyes the astonishing things God has promised now and in the life to come “his divine power will be present and we will escape corruption and be conformed to the image of his Son” (I Peter 1:4).
I promise. Better yet God promises.