Promise Keeper

It was December of 2008 and I was driving around loop 820 in Fort Worth in a borrowed truck. Brenda’s car was in the shop for repairs and I had just given my truck away in obedience to God’s promptings a few days before. Brenda had drifted off to sleep as we were driving around to finish some Christmas shopping when I sensed the Lord speaking two things to me, “You are going to love the truck I give you. I will give you a better truck than you gave away.” It was so real that I laughed out loud waking Brenda up before I told her what the Lord had put in my heart.
That was seven months and ago. During those months there has been hundreds of hours of prayer, several tests, and countless lessons in patience and perseverance. There have been seasons of confusion, and even bouts of doubt. My faith has been tried and tested and reluctantly I have had to learn to wait on the Lord.
All of that ended today. Through a series of three different miracles, God blessed my family with a truck today. It is better than the one I gave away and now it is time to brag on the Lord. He is faithful. [I Thess 5:24] He is the ultimate mountain mover. [Mark 11:23-24] He is a promise keeper not a promise breaker.
Words fail me and my family is humbled. On the way home today in that truck Tanner kept exclaiming, “I can’t believe it! This is awesome!” He was so excited he told me he could not sleep all night since Brenda and I had told the boys we were getting the truck today. I have walked through this day with gratitude, peace, and humility knowing my God has kept His promise to me again. He does not break promises.
There were times I did not think He would. There were days when my frustration got the best of me. In God’s perfect timing, in God’s sovereign solution, and when He was ready to bring glory to His name, God came through. I did not earn His blessing nor do I deserve it. I had a need and God gave a promise to meet that need. “I will give you a better truck than you gave away.” He is a faithful provider. [Phil 4:19]
I know there are some of you reading this that have been waiting on God for a long long time. It might appear that He has abandoned you. It might look like He is breaking His promise to you but if you hold on long enough, persevere in believing prayer tenaciously enough, you too will behold His faithfulness as I am doing today. There are desires God put in your heart that ache because your hope has been deferred for such a long time but keep trusting when there seems no hope and no use. Keep believing and do not entertain any doubts that God will not come through. HE WILL! He will do it in His time though and learning to wait on Him can be a hard lesson to learn.
Sitting outside my office is a 2006 truck. It is not brand new but it is new to me. I appreciate it because I have waited on it so long. Though I appreciate it I do not treasure it more than the God who gave it to me. Be careful in all of your longing that you do not long for anything more than you long for a closer walk with God.
I would like you to picture that thing you have been waiting on God to do or to provide. Get a good mental picture of it. Now in your mind I want you to look to the future and your reaction when God makes that hope so long deferred become reality. How will you rejoice? How grateful will you be? Keep that vision in mind. Believe for that day. God knows your sacrifices, your faithful obedience, your persevering praying, and your strong faith. God kept His promise to me and my family. We have experienced over and over again. I know He will do the same for you.