Oh, no. Where’s the cream? A thorough search of the fridge had just revealed an inconvenient truth. I’d forgotten to purchase the whipping cream.
With dinner guests arriving in a few hours, and three little ones underfoot, I dreaded the thought of packing everybody into the car to purchase one item at the grocery store. Besides, the to-do list still included many tasks. What’s a woman to do?
Call her husband.
“I’m so sorry to bother you, but could you stop at the store on your way home from the office and pick up some whipping cream? I need it for tonight’s dessert, and somehow came home without it yesterday.”
“Sure, I can do that,” he replied. “No problem.”
Two hours later Steve walked in the door, cream in hand.
I knew I could count on him; he’d proven himself trustworthy countless times before. (Even if he’d forgotten, Steve would have gone back to the store and made good on his promise.)
So why is it, when God says, “What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do” (Isaiah 46:11b), my response is sometimes doubt?
Of course, the promises I ask God to fulfill usually require more than two hours of wait time. It’s in the long siege on pause I begin to wonder: Maybe this promise that seemed so perfect for my situation isn’t really for me after all (1).
Have such thoughts occurred to you also?
Here’s what I’m trying to remember: If I trust Steve, based on promises he’s kept in the past, how much more should I take God at his word?
In addition, he is perfect in all his ways, loving and compassionate, abundantly good and righteous (2). Our faith in God’s promises can remain firm because:
So as I wait for fulfillment, I can remember: out of the several thousand promises in scripture, he has already kept many of them in specific, personal ways.
He’s done the same for you too.
It would be impractical to make a list here of all those Bible promises, checking them off one by one as we remember occasions when each was fulfilled. But what if we identify categories, and check off those? Categories such as:
- Salvation and the gift of eternal life (John 6:40)
- A relationship with God Almighty and his continual presence (Revelation 3:20; Psalm 145:18)
- Forgiveness (1 John 1:9)
- Emotional stability (Psalm 27:1), peace ((Isaiah 26:3), and joy (John 15:11)
- Protection (Psalm 32:7)
- Provision (Philippians 4:19)
- Guidance (Isaiah 58:11)
- Satisfaction in life (John 10:10)
- Help (Psalm 46:1)
- Answered prayer (1 John 5:14-15)
- Blessings (Psalm 84:11-12)
No doubt all of us can name events when such promises have been fulfilled—the day we said yes to Jesus, the times we experienced an unearthly reassurance of God’s presence, or received miraculous provision, enjoyed divine contentment, felt his inexplicable peace, and more.
In remembering we foster the courage to persevere and the faith to hope with confident expectation.
So what event, what answer to prayer are you hoping for today? Can you identify an appropriate promise? The scriptures above offer a place to start. And then let’s pray our promises.
For example:
I praise You, O God, for your promise of protection from trouble. Not that I expect to never experience difficulty, but I can count on You to guard me as we pass through it.
As long as the trouble may last, you will be with me, to shelter me in your comfort and be my helper through the challenge. Never will you abandon me; I am secure in you.
I look forward, Father, to every statement here coming to fruition, because you have said it. My heart is steadfast, trusting in you.
(Psalm 32:7; James 1:2-4; Psalm 23:4; 9:9; 34:19;
Hebrews 13:6; Proverbs 14:26, Psalm 112:7)
What is a favorite scripture promise you turn to again and again? Please share in the comment section below!
Notes:
- Sometimes there are good reasons why promises are not fulfilled. See “Unfulfilled Promises” for several possibilities.
- Psalm 18:30; Psalm 103:4; Psalm 145:7, 17
Art & photo credits: http://www.flickr.com; http://www.canva.com; Nancy Ruegg; http://www.canva.com (3); http://www.needpix.com; http://www.canva.com.
From the Inside Out 