God Promised

After Noah built the ark and God destroyed the world by flood God made a promise to Noah. I will set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. [Gen 9:13-16]

God has kept that promise for several thousand years. He is the original Promise Keeper.

Yesterday afternoon Tucker and I were sitting watching Taylor and Tanner go through football practice. In the middle of practice a little rain shower came and then dissipated. A few moments later Tucker pointed out a rainbow. I asked if he knew what it meant. He knew it had something to do with Noah but he was not certain. I then shared God's promise about never destroying all flesh through a flood again. God has kept his word.

That is just one instance. [Joshua 21:45] states, Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. What was true for Noah and the house of Israel is also true for you and I. God always does what he says. He always comes through like he says he will. God never fails and he never forsakes his own. This is great news!

God has more promises in his word than I have time to recount them. There is a corresponding promise from God to help us cope with life. Promises to be our strength, help, provider, peace, and protector. There are promises to lift burdens, to find refuge, to gain aid in the day of trouble, to move mountains and get wisdom for decision making.

Here is the thing we must remember. None, not one single one, of God's promises fail. Every time we think they do it usually is a timing issue or a God's will issue. God is going to work according to his time table and not ours. God is also going to work according to his will and not ours. When we begin entertaining thoughts that God did not keep his promise to us we can usually zero in on one of those two issues which caused us to get sidetracked.

Let me illustrate. For almost two years our family lived in a cramped rent house. You cannot be a regular visitor to this blog and not know that. I prayed and prayed for God to sell our house in Seminole. I prayed before I moved. I prayed while I stayed in the R/V. I prayed while we lived in the rent house. Our house still did not sell which meant we had to delay in finding a suitable house of our own.

Many times I whined and complained as I recounted promises to God that at the time were not being kept. Now, after our house selling in Seminole, after purchasing a dream home here, I can see God kept his promises to my family day in and day out by being our provider and turning our focus to seeking God's kingdom first. In the end God honored his promise from [Ps 37:4] Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. He blessed us with a better house than I ever dreamed. His timing was perfect. His will was best. When I truly delighted in Him first and most then he gave me the desires of my heart. I have this seen this over and over again in my life.

I know how easy it is to get frustrated and impatient when God is not doing what you asked or when the very trials you asked God to avoid in your life happen. Frustration sinks in and impatience mounts. I also know both attitudes are sin. We are not to be anxious but thankful and prayerful and let God's peace rule in our hearts and minds. [Phil 4:6-7] I can say through first hand experience God has given me the desires of my heart when I truly delighted in him first and waited on him. Sometimes the things I wanted turned out not be his will and his will turned out best. Once again it all comes down to the simple matter of trust. There are things I am still waiting on God to do. I want to see my book writing ministry go to a new level. I have asked the Lord to do this for years. It is not about me making more money but doing more for the kingdom of God. God will keep his promises. To date that has not happened. Either the time is not right or God wills something different.

I am thankful Tucker noticed the rainbow yesterday afternoon. I was so engrossed in watching Taylor and Tanner I did not and would have never looked up to notice. That rainbow means a lot more to me than the fact that God will not destroy earth by flood again. It reminds me that God always keeps his promises in his time.