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Archive for the ‘God’s Promises’ Category

Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

Posted in Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Presence, God's Promises, God's Provision, Uncategorized, Worry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2014| 20 Comments »

 

“There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear.”

1 John 4:18a

M-m-m.  Interesting.  John doesn’t say perfect courage drives out fear.  Not even perfect faith.  Why does he say perfect love will drive out fear?

First of all, this verse is not talking about fears of financial ruin or life-threatening events.  Verse eighteen gives us the context.  John is talking about Judgment Day.  He’s reminding us that, if we know Jesus, there is nothing to fear when we leave this earth for eternity.  Jesus gave his life to save us from the consequences of our sin.  Our place in heaven is secure, if our faith is in him.

And once that matter has been settled, other fear-producing questions can be put in proper perspective. We have to remind ourselves that earthly life fades quickly like the leaves (Isaiah 64:6).  These questions will cease to matter–questions like:

  • Will my job survive the cutbacks?
  • Will I be able to keep my health insurance?
  • Will my kids make it through their personal crisis?

But such questions can cause torment to the point of ulcers and high blood pressure.  If we allow fear to control us, we’re saying that the troubles we face are more powerful than our God.

So here are a few ways to fight against fear:

  • Rename your difficulties as possibilities—possibilities for God to do something glorious.  Without a problem, there’s no opportunity for a miracle.
  • Picture God Almighty accompanying you all day long.  He’s standing right behind you at the sink.  He’s sitting beside you in the car.  His ever-watchful eye is upon you,  his infinite strength is available to you, and his perfect wisdom will guide you.
  • Don’t feed your fear with worry; feed your faith with the truth of God’s Word.  Psalm 23 is a perfect place to begin.  Remember verse four?  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
  •  Listen to what he says:  “I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you (Isaiah 41:13).  Visualize God holding you by the hand as you walk through each day.

Years ago, when a I was a young teenager, my family visited Lookout Mountain in Tennessee.  Dad and I were hiking over the mountain paths when we came to a deep, narrow ravine.  He easily jumped across, turned, and held out his hand for me.

“I can do it myself,” I announced confidently.  Then I looked down into that deep ravine.  What if I fall? I thought.  Grinning sheepishly at Dad, I said, “’Guess you’d better help me after all!”  I had great confidence in my father.  I knew he loved me and would never let me fall.

God is ready to walk hand-in-hand with me along the mountain paths of life.  Problems arise, though, when I repeat that moment on Lookout Mountain and focus on the ravine, the what-ifs.  The  result?  I’m frozen with fear.

How downright foolish of me, when my loving, trustworthy Heavenly Father has assured me:

“Don’t panic.  I’m with you.  There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.  I’ll give you strength.  I’ll help you.  I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you” (Isaiah 41:10, The Message).

 You see, perfect love drives out fear because we can trust the perfect love of our perfect God.

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Post-Holiday Hope

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, God's Faithfulness, God's Promises, God's Provision, God's Salvation, Hope, Salvation, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on January 2, 2014| 8 Comments »

The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day fills our senses with:

  • Sights of Christmas trees, candles, Santas, and angels.
  • Sounds of carols, from the light-hearted “Frosty the Snowman” to the heart-stirring “O Holy Night.”
  • Textures from prickly pine to plush velvet.
  • Aromas of cinnamon, spice, and gingerbread.
  • Tastes of iced sugar cookies and egg nog.

But the seasonal pleasures are over for another year.  And the uncertainties of our times—political, economical, as well as personal—that we set aside for a few weeks, are coming to the forefront again.  If we’re not careful, troublesome thoughts can raise our blood pressure and take away restful sleep!

What to do?  Take comfort in God’s Word.  “Great peace have they who love your law,” said the psalmist,” and nothing can make them stumble” (Psalm 119:165).  I suppose that would include uncertainties, don’t you?

Two verses have ministered to me lately, Romans 8:30-31:

“Those he [God] predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified, those he justified, he also glorified.  What then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Of course, those key words in the first sentence beg to be examined more closely.

Predestination has been the subject of entire books and sometimes causes controversy.  I like the way the Living Application Bible explains the concept, in a footnote to Ephesians 1:5.  “Predestined” means marked out beforehand.

God knew each of us and loved us before we were even born.  He provided the way of salvation so we could be in relationship with him.  That does not negate our responsibility to believe in Jesus, in order to bring to pass God’s predetermined plan.

Called means we have been divinely summoned or invited.   Some Christians are divinely summoned for specific tasks.  Peter (John 21:15-17) and Paul (Acts 9:15) are perfect examples.

Most of us are called to love, obey, and serve God right where he’s placed us—in our homes, churches, business, schools, and neighborhoods.

Whatever our task, he cheers us on to work heartily because we’re doing it for him—to please him and bring him honor (Colossians 3:23-24).

And with his call comes hope, peace, joy, and blessing!

Justification is God’s way of making us right with him.  Out of his gracious love for us, he declares us “not guilty” for our sins. We deserve harsh punishment, but he treats us as righteous if we put our trust in Jesus.  Then the perfect sinlessness of God’s Son is credited to us  (Romans 3:22-25).

Imagine standing before a mighty king who’s dressed in elegant robes.  And there you are, wearing ragged, smelly clothes, staring at the floor, and wishing to be anywhere else but in this imposing throne room.

Suddenly the king’s words break through your embarrassment.  He’s calling for one of his son’s perfect robes to be brought for you.  He doesn’t just want to trade your rags for a  beautiful, pristine robe—he’s eager to do it!  And then, even more amazing, he welcomes you to his banquet table.

That’s justification—being treated as if we weren’t soiled by sin.  Being treated like  a royal son or daughter of the king, though it’s the last thing we deserve.

Full glorification  will occur when we arrive in heaven.  It refers to that moment when you and I will become like Christ (1 John 3:2.)  It is so certain, Paul uses past tense.  Our glorification is taken care of; it’s just a matter of when.

But the process has already begun.  Our glory—that is, anything that brings honor and praise to God—is developing day by day as we allow the Holy Spirit to have influence of our thoughts and choices.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Now consider the magnitude of these four processes which God lovingly, even anxiously, works within us.  I like the way Ken Taylor expresses verse twenty-nine in The Living Bible:

 “Having chosen us, he called us to come to him; and when we came he declared us ‘not guilty,’ filled us with Christ’s goodness, gave us right standing with himself, and promised us his glory.”

 And last, in light of whatever you may be facing in 2014, please take comfort in these joyous words:

“What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these?  If God is on our side, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:30, The Living Bible).

 

 

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Light, Rainbows, and Dance

Posted in God, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Promises, Praise, Prayer, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2013| 16 Comments »

 

As I set the dish washing soap down on the counter, a small cluster of bubbles burst from the open top.  Playfully they danced upward in front of the window.  And I didn’t just smile; I giggled.

Memories associated with bubbles floated through my mind as I watched those drifting bubbles—memories of our children, and now our granddaughter–gleefully capturing bubbles that family members provided for their popping pleasure.  As they grew older, the children took on the challenge of slow and steady blowing, to make the biggest bubbles possible.

 

 

But it’s just a pocket of air surrounded by a film of soap.  Why is it that a bubble grabs our attention?

First, no one can refute their beauty:

  • Bubbles reflect light and sparkle with iridescence.
  • Bubbles refract light into brilliant pastel hues.  Ever-changing ribbons of color pirouette over the surface in rainbow swirls.
  • Bubbles gracefully glide across space, undulating on the air currents.

Each of these aspects can also draw attention to another form of beauty: the beauty of the Lord.

 

 

(“One thing I ask of the Lord,

this is what I seek: …

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.”

–Psalm 27:4)

 

But what does the beauty of bubbles (of all things) have to do with God?

Bubbles remind me that:

1)  God is light (1 John 1:5).  Ezekiel saw him “as if full of fire…Brilliant light surrounds him” (Ezekiel 1:27).  “The Lord is my light” is also a symbolic statement, referring to his truth and goodness.

2)  The refraction of light into glorious colors is reminiscent of the first rainbow (Genesis 9:15-17).  God told Noah that never again would he send a flood to destroy all life on earth.  The rainbow was a sign of this promise.  To this day, a rainbow—even a rainbow on a bubble—is a reminder that God keeps his promises.

 

 

3) The grace with which bubbles move brings to mind the grace of God.  He, too, moves in gentle ways within our spirits, like a loving shepherd tenderly gathering the lambs to his heart (Isaiah 40:11).

Perhaps God’s whole intention for creating bubbles (and many other phenomenon in nature) was to grab our attention and turn our thoughts to him.

So the next time bubbles escape from the bottle of the dish soap, you may wish to send up a prayer of praise, as they merrily bob through the air:

 

You are resplendent with light, O God (Psalm 76:4)!

You are faithful to all your promises (Psalm 145:13c)!

You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger,

abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6)!

 

But why wait for serendipity bubbles?  Take some of that dish soap and create your own!

 

 

Revel in the sparkling light, the whirling rainbows, the graceful dance…

 

…and worship!

 

(photo credits:  www.flickr.com; http://www.pixabay.com;  www.dailyverses.net; wikimedia.com; http://www.pixabay.com.)

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Imagine

Posted in Book Reviews, Encouragement, Faith, God's Grace, God's Promises, Hope, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on August 12, 2013| 6 Comments »

Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith - By: Jon Bloom, John Piper

Imagine…

…the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11), walking home after her encounter with Jesus.  What must she have been thinking?

…Zacchaeus, the despised tax collector, coming to your door to return the money he owed you—plus four times more (Luke 19:1-10).  What would have been your reaction?

…how it felt to be Joseph Barsabbas, the candidate not chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:26). How might he have responded?

These are just three out of thirty-five scenarios Jon Bloom explores in his book, Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith (Crossway Books, 2013).    Indeed, they are fresh, creative takes on familiar Bible stories.

And although quite short, just three pages or so in length, each vignette still gives plenty of food for thought. I found them to be compelling, insightful, and instructive—encouraging my walk of faith.

One of my favorites is “Staying Faithful When Things Get Worse.”  Jon imagines what Joseph must have been thinking as a falsely accused prisoner in Egypt.  For at least twelve years he endured the hellish conditions and tormenting hopelessness.  Those should have been the best years of Joseph’s life—his youth.  Many would have said, “What a waste.”

 

Imagine year nine, Jon suggests.  Surely Joseph fought against depression and discouragement, even as he recited to himself the promises of God.  No doubt he reviewed in his mind the stories of his ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and even those of his own father, Jacob.

Jon Bloom imagines Joseph affirming repeatedly that, just as God had been faithful to them, he would be faithful to Joseph.  Each patriarch had faced situations that seemed impossible.

Abraham and Sarah were much too old to have a child.

The older brother, Esau, would never serve his younger brother, Jacob–even if the age difference between twins was slight. That promise of God went against all tradition and logic.

Jacob was a poor runaway.  He couldn’t possibly become a wealthy herdsman.

But each man and his family had been blessed, just as God had promised.  Why?  They remained faithful.  Yes, they made mistakes and failed to obey God on occasion.  But they never turned their backs on him, even when circumstances turned bleak.

Jon Bloom also imagines Joseph reaffirming his faith in God and his willingness to wait for him to act.  Meanwhile, he would continue to honor God, even within prison walls.

As Jon brings the vignette to a close, he shares fresh application:

Even in the care of Almighty God, circumstances may get worse, not better.  “Faith in God’s future grace for us is what sustains us in those desperate moments,” Jon says.  Our hope is best placed in God, in his promises, and especially the assurance of eternal bliss in heaven yet to come.

Jon Bloom perfectly fulfills the role of a writer, as defined by Anais Nin, American author of the twentieth century:  “The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.”

Page after page, this is what Jon Bloom did for me.  No doubt he will do the same for you.

(Art Credits:  www.angieblattner.theworldrace.org ; www.illustrationartgallery.com )

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Float by Faith

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, God's Goodness, God's Love, God's Power, God's Promises, God's Protection, God's Provision, Uncategorized, Worry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2013| 35 Comments »

Years ago in my hometown, when the community pool was built, Dad often took my brother and me swimming.  I marveled at the way my father could slice the water with a smooth dive, roll over on his back, and float.  Without even moving his arms and legs, he could remain on top of the water.  Amazing!

When I tried it, I sank–immediately.

“Daddy!  Show me how to float!” I cried.

First, he helped me to lie flat-out on top of the water.  His hand gently supported the middle of my back.  And then Dad said the strangest thing.

“Now, relax.”

What?!  Every fiber of my being was tense.  I just knew that if I relaxed, my nose would instantly fill up with heavily chlorinated water.

But I trusted Dad.  He wouldn’t trick me into a catastrophe.  So I tried to relax.

Easier said than done.  Try as I might, my body would not relax.  My focus was more on the possibility of sinking than it was on the one thing that would keep me afloat.

“That’s OK,” Dad probably said.  “This is just your first try.  Keep practicing, and all of a sudden you’ll get the feel of it.  That’s how it happened for me.”

This experience came to mind as I read Charles Spurgeon’s comment on an excerpt from Isaiah 30:15.

First, the scripture-excerpt:  “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”

And now, the Spurgeon quote:  “We are sinking by our struggles when we might float by faith.”

But learning to relax in the spiritual realm is just as difficult as it was to relax on my back in that swimming pool.  It is so much easier said than done–at least for me.

Why is fretting and worrying my default mode?  It’s so pointless.  Resting in God is the only way to hope and peace (Psalm 62:5).

The big question is how.  How can I relax into quiet confidence that will be my strength, and keep me afloat?

Perhaps the answer is in that word practice.  As I reaffirm over and over God’s glorious attributes, as I review His wonderful promises, my focus will change and my spirit will learn how to rest.

What attributes might be wise to focus on?  King David included a number of them in his glorious psalm of thanksgiving, found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36:

  • Power (vs. 9, 12, 14) – He is able to work wonders.
  • Integrity (v. 15) – He is totally trustworthy.
  • Holiness (v. 29) – He is absolutely pure and righteous, totally set apart from anyone else in the universe.
  • Goodness (v. 34) – His blessings to us are bountiful and frequently displayed.
  • Love (v. 34) – Not based on our paltry deeds, but on his kind and gracious nature.

And what promises would build my confidence?  Here are three for a good start:

  • “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).
  • “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
  • “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16).

Notice:  He promises protection, provision, and guidance.  Everything we might face is covered.

Thinking back to those summer days at the community pool, I’m reminded of two things that happen when we float:  1) Our eyes are focused upward.  2) Our ears cannot hear very well, situated as they are beneath the surface.  Noise is silenced.

Those two things need to happen in the spiritual realm if we’re to float by faith.  Our eyes need to be focused upward on our powerful, loving, promise-keeping God, and our ears need to be stopped to the voices of worry.

The former will undoubtedly take care of the latter.

(Photo credits:  www.sciforums.com ; www.dailyencouragement.net ; www.flickr.com ; www.confessionsofasmowflake.com )

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Palms, Cedars, and Helen Hayes

Posted in Blessings, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Promises, Godly Character, Maturity, Praise, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 18, 2013| 10 Comments »

Back in the 1970s I saw Helen Hayes in a made-for-TV movie.  Some of you may recognize her.  She was known as the “First Lady of the American Theater,” beginning her career on Broadway in 1905, when she was only five years old.  In the 1930s, Helen expanded her stardom to films, and finally to television.

The reason she comes to mind now and then is the impression she made upon me, as an energetic, sparkly eyed senior citizen.  I remember thinking, “When I get old, I want to be like that!”

Poof.  Four decades have passed, and I am indeed getting old!  I don’t feel like it, but that doesn’t stop the incessant turning of the calendar pages.

So I was delighted to come across these verses from Psalm 92 that cast aging in a positive light:

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him” (vs. 12-15).

Palm trees do indeed flourish, living up to 100 years.  Withstanding heat, drought, and high winds, these trees stand tall and strong; their leaves fresh and green all year long.

 

What a perfect picture of an energetic, sparkly eyed senior citizen! 

How do we achieve such age-defying qualities? 

First, notice that the righteous will flourish.  When our faith is grounded in God, when we follow his principles for a prosperous life, we flourish.

Like the palm tree that grows straight up toward heaven, the righteous reach for the God of heaven.  That’s how they’re able to stand strong through the winds of change and difficult circumstances.

The psalmist then continues:  “The righteous will…grow like a cedar of Lebanon.”

Majestic cedar trees grow to 120 feet in height and up to 30 feet in circumference.  They provide the perfect picture of a firm, stable person.  Just as the cedar’s roots go deep into the soil, so the righteous person is rooted and grounded in God’s love (Ephesians 3:17).  From those roots comes the nourishment needed to remain strong and spiritually healthy.

Second, notice where these trees are planted:  in the house of the Lord.  They flourish in the courts of our God.

Charles Spurgeon, that eloquent preacher and writer of the 1800s, had this to say about those who dwell in habitual fellowship with God:  “They shall become men [and women] of full growth, rich in grace, happy in experience, mighty in influence, honored and honorable.”  Now that sounds like a very satisfying way to live—so much better than the opposite!

Think of a complaining oldster whose mouth turns down from constant disgruntlement.  His bottom lip protrudes from perpetual pouting, and his brow is permanently lowered into a frown because anger often rules his emotions.  All this negativity has stunted the growth of his maturity.  He’s unhappy much of the time, and is not held in high regard by others.  Do you suppose he ever considers that his way of life is terribly unsatisfying?   

However!  When our lives are centered upon worship of God, as we express gratitude for his blessings, praise for his attributes, contentment for where he’s placed us, and joy in the midst of trials, we become those admirable men and women Dr. Spurgeon described above:  mature, gracious, and happy.

Dr. Spurgeon also added “mighty in influence and honored.”  God rewards the righteous aged with “fruit.”  In other words, we may still bring glory to God by our words and actions—well into old age.

We can be:

  • Energetic—with the power of the Holy Spirit
  • sparkly-eyed—with the indwelling of God’s peace
  • grace-filled—with continual demonstrations of God’s love to others
  • joyful—with hearts focused on God’s blessings

These kinds of saints provide a powerful example of God’s faithfulness—through pleasant times and challenges, through plenty and want, year after year.

May we continue to grow deep and stand tall—all the days of our lives.

(photo credits:  www.pachd.com, www.captainkimo.com, www.forestertreeservice.com, www.centrifueleadership.com, www.seniors.ovetoknow.com)

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The Power of God-Stories

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, God, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Power, God's Presence, God's Promises, God's Provision, Hope, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on April 18, 2013| 14 Comments »

Minnesota Blizzard 10 - 22609

Minnesota Blizzard 10 – 22609 (Photo credit: DavidErickson)

Maria felt compelled to make a big pot of lamb stew one winter morning. By afternoon she knew why. A blizzard paralyzed city traffic. Right down the street from her home a bus load of passengers became stranded. Maria perked coffee for them—pot after pot–and invited them into her home for the lamb stew. Gratefully and incredulously they came, about half a dozen or so at a time. The driver was the last to be served, with the remaining spoonfuls from the bottom of the pot. Maria never even got a taste! But it didn’t matter. Her heart was filled with gratitude that God had prompted her to make that stew. He enabled her to help twenty-plus stranded commuters and show them the love and grace of God.

Gordon burned his hand severely—so badly the doctor said he’d probably have to amputate several fingers. But Gordon’s mother and many others prayed, and day by day the hand got better—not worse. Today, you have to look close to even find the scar.

Nita often wears a favorite pair of gold earrings, given to her by her children. One day while golfing with her husband, she lost one those precious earrings. Nita was heartsick. A few days later, these avid golfers were again on the course. Nita prayed. “Father, I don’t know where that earring is, but you do. Please help me find it.” On the twelfth green, when Nita walked up to where her ball had landed, she saw something glinting in the grass. Not one foot from where her ball landed, there was her earring.

These stories are just three of many, recently shared by members of the Bible study I attend.  Maria, Gordon, and Nita are in that group.  No doubt you’ve heard stories like theirs, too. In fact, you’ve probably experienced a few miraculous situations yourself. It’s important we share our God-stories as encouragement for our faith. Our God-stories prove:

1) God’s Word is true. God is loving, gracious, faithful, and powerful.

2) We are never without hope.

3) God keeps his promises.

4) God continually blesses his children.

5) Christianity works.

Do all of these facts mean we can expect God to intervene in every difficult circumstance? No. We’d become very spoiled children if he did. But the number of times God does provide miracles goes beyond coincidence. They are indeed God-incidents.

Yet we cannot ignore the times God does not answer our prayers as we’d wish. Sometimes he does not step in to provide and protect. He does not always solve our problems for us. It’s in those situations that God works a different set of miracles: patience and perseverance (James 1:2), growth in godliness and spiritual strength, his compassion and mercy (James 5:11).

Such statements might sound glib to someone recently bereaved of a loved one, or an innocent person suffering unfair circumstances. But there are powerful God-stories from suffering saints as well.

G. lost her husband recently and was terribly insecure about living on her own. But God revealed his presence to her in a powerful physical sensation of warmth through her whole body. Although still grieving, G. has felt surrounded by God’s peace and empowering presence.

K. had always dreamed of getting married, creating a home, and raising several children. Then came her fortieth birthday. It appeared that dream was not going come true. Depression seeped into the corners of her life, even though she was a woman of strong faith. But day by day, the truths of God’s Word fed her spirit and hope began to grow again. Not the hope of marriage and a family, but hope in God’s plan to prosper her, to give her a future (Jeremiah 29:11)—albeit in a different direction.

In the final analysis, these miracles are the most wondrous of all. They are miracles of transformed hearts.

“Our troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will. They are the black chariots of bright grace” – Charles Spurgeon.

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The Pitfall of Promises

Posted in Dreams, Faith, God, God's Promises, Uncategorized, tagged , , on February 11, 2013| 9 Comments »

The Bible contains over 2,300 promises, all proclaiming God’s blessings upon us—blessings of provision, protection, and guidance.

And God is faithful. He never breaks a promise (Psalm 145:13b), he doesn’t lie or change his mind (Numbers 23:19), and everything he does is motivated out of love (Romans 8:32). What comforting news in an unsettling world!

But here’s my dilemma. Which promises apply to me, right now, in the circumstances I face? I don’t want to assume; I want to be realistic.

For example, is it reasonable to expect the promise of Psalm 91:9 to be in effect in every situation?

“If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.”

There have been godly men and women who most certainly made God their dwelling. They lived on that elevated plane of God’s presence. And yet they suffered dire circumstances—disease, famine, persecution, poverty, and more. From our finite, shortsighted viewpoint, it appears unfair. And dare I say it? It would seem God was not faithful, or at the very least he did change his mind.

And therein lies the pitfall of promises—not in the vows themselves, but in our thinking. It’s a pitfall of misunderstanding. We look at promises with blinders on, envisioning only the lovely, glowing fulfillment of our dreams, our desires.

We read, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4), and our thoughts head horizontally toward things, human relationships, healings, and accomplishments. Of course, many of those desires are right and good. God may very well grant them. But should I count on those blessings as “good as done” because of this scriptural promise? I hesitate.

It may be that God’s desires for me are on the vertical plane between heaven and earth—to dwell in his presence, reflect his light, and bear fruit to his glory. Those divine delights certainly supersede the earthly variety.

If we take off the blinders that focus attention on ourselves, we’ll widen our view. We’ll glimpse the possibilities of God’s desires for us, which would include the best fulfillment of his promises. Granted, visibility will be unclear, because our finite vision of godly matters is so limited.

But at least the view will be wide, not narrow. Wide = accepting of God’s way to fulfill his promises in my life. Narrow = claiming a promise, and expecting my desires to be fulfilled.

My choice? Jeremiah expressed it first. He was talking to the people of Judah, but these words would certainly be appropriate to address to God:

“As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right” (Jeremiah 26:14).

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