This blog is in fulfillment of the Week Five project for IS502. The theme is promise-keeping.
I Promise...
Sometimes it is easier to describe
something by defining what it is not.
A broken promise is like a broken
contract.
Most of the promises that I have given or received have been verbal.
Basically, a promise is a contract of sorts that requires an amount of trust
and faith on the part of both parties involved.
I have made many promises and I have
broken many promises.
With time and maturity, I have learned
to not make promises that I cannot keep.
I tried to come up with life events where promises are made and often broken. Check out the photos and humorous quotes below and be aware of what comes to mind.
God and his Creation
This is the only one where Father God, who is perfect makes promises to his children. His promises are "yes" and "amen" (NASB, 2 Corinthians 1:20) but how often we break our promises to him.
Marriage
From a promise ring to a wedding ring for many, the idea of marriage is filled with the promises of a fulfilling future and even the American dream. The happily-ever-after, however, doesn't always happen. Sometimes divorce or separation happens and promises made at the altar are broken.
Parenting
Parenting is such a job from the heart. No one knows how to do every part of it just right. The parents who seek the Lord over everything sometimes struggle. I heard a pastor say one time that most of the time parents can only do their rotten best even when they are trying so hard.
Education
Colleges and universities often cleverly market to eager parents and young bright students. However, the promises are often unfulfilled. It is implied that once you graduate, you will get a good enough job in your field to pay off your bills and even your massive student loan debt.
Jobs
Having a job outside of your field of study can sometimes lead to a false sense of security fueled by empty promises when one pay off student loans. The truth is that many people do not get jobs in their field of expertise because the pay is too low, or the competition is too fierce. So they end up getting jobs that simply pay the bills.
Politics
It seems that with every election many politicians make grandiose promises, and it seems like few are kept. Taxes are always a hot topic. There is always confusion as to which politician to elect. Many Evangelicals ask "who is the lesser of the two evils?"
What does the Bible say about promise-keeping?
This blog would be miles long if I could go over every promise in the Bible.
God promised Noah that he would never flood the earth like that again, (NASB, Genesis 9:1-17), and he put a rainbow in the sky as a sign of his covenant with him.
In Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God lays out a beautiful promise to his people. He promises blessings and prosperity, fruitfulness and peace and a never ending supply of everything that they need. However, there are conditions for God to keep his end of the promise, the people must honor him and worship him. The rest of the chapter v.15-28 give a detailed layout of what will happen if they do not hold up their end of the promise. In actuality this is a covenant between a community of people and Father God.
Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life", (NASB, John 14:6).
In my experiences with broken promises, it often feels like lying. When I was promised things and never got them I felt as if I had been lied to and was heartbroken.
Keeping promises requires truth, trust and time for each party involved in the promise.
When the children of Israel were promised their own land, the Promised Land, they had to fight for their promise and it was brutal, (NASB, Joshua 6:1-26).
I took a leap of faith to move to Los Angeles and attend seminary. It was hard, it was scary, but God promised that he would be with me, that he would protect me. This is my personal promised land: to be in the center of God's will. I have learned that sometimes one has to fight for the promised territory, but I've also learned to let God fight my battles as I keep my promised posture of prayer and adoration before him.
