Holding Onto The Promises Of A God Who Has Already Fulfilled His Word

In our lives there are truths that seem to be in competition, but are simply in tension. An example of this is...

Truth - God owes me absolutely nothing.
Truth - God made promises to me, and is bound by His word.

The way I see it, God is holy and true, and above all. He has always been good to me... much better than I deserve. Just to be allowed to breathe in His kingdom is a blessing beyond anything I could ever ask. He has been merciful, and gracious, and patient, and so many other things to this man who has been so many horrible things. He is a Father and Friend to one who has been a rebellious enemy. He has sustained me and supplied my every material, relational and spiritual need. If the goodness stopped on this day, in my 47th year, I would have absolutely no complaints... NONE. God owes me absolutely nothing.

But as I read the Bible, I notice promise, upon promise, upon promise. And while God is above everything, He is not above keeping His word. Scripture tells us that God does not lie, neither is it possible for Him to lie in anything. God is so trustworthy according to His word, that He will keep His word, even when we break ours. How many times have we prayed asking God to move in our behalf, and in the prayer we make a commitment to Him... only to not fulfill our end after He has miraculously done what He said He would do. God is a God of His word.

This passage sort of ties these two truths together...

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. (1 Peter 1:3-4)

And He doesn't just make easy promises. You see, God knows how we are like we know how we are. God is commiting to be faithful to people who are historically unfaithful. He makes solid promises to promise-breakers. Most of us wouldn't do that, but He does... all the time. The Bible is full of hundreds, if not thousands of God's promises. Here are a few...

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved... For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:9,13)

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

"Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Some promises are very straight-forward and easy to see come to pass. Others are more difficult to see some to pass, but they are still God's words and we must trust that they will come to pass, even if we can't quite see them. An example would be...

“I assure you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or fields because of Me and the gospel, who will not receive 100 times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come." (Mark 10:29-30)

I don't know how that all works out, but I must trust that God is a God of His word. Though this world will pass away, not one part of His word will ever disappear. Believe all of His word. Then live in response to it.

Today rest in the truth that God has already been so good to you that He owes you absolutely nothing, and at the same time realize that He has bound Himself to you by His eternal word. This is not to keep Him honest. It is to keep us humble.

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