Do you remember as a child when we locked pinkies to form some sort of forever-bond? It was seen as a bit more ‘forever’ than a normal promise was. Somehow the interlocking of two pinkies made the promise more valid. It is silly when I think back now, but I think in that pinky-promise-gesture we yearned for something forever. Something that would override the empty promises we had all encountered. We yearned for a promise to be a promise – something that would not be broken no matter what.
Fast forward a few decades and all adults can tell you of times promises were broken by them and to them. People just have this nasty tendency not to stick to their word. We have all been on the receiving and giving end of that!
When Jesus came to earth He was sent because God PROMISED redemption for our sinful nature. God saw a problem and promised a solution. He gave His word. His word stands and He is faithful. Actually, He is the only One that is really faithful. We can try to be faithful but our human, fleshly nature can be very quick to derail great plans of eternal faithfulness! I think that is why Faithfulness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit – God knows we need HIM to be able to be faithful. Some people are more prone to faithfulness by how they were raised and others are not prone to faithfulness at all. The One that can make us a really faithful people is the One who is eternally faithful. He is a covenant-God and covenant is by it’s nature forever.
I love this scripture:
Num 23:19(KJV) God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
God is not like us, I also think that is why Jesus encouraged us not to make promises. He knew our feebleness and knew that we would not be able to keep those things we promised no matter how hard we try.
Matt 5 v 33-37 (NKJV)33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Jesus encouraged us to be like Him – to be a people that stick to the oaths to God we made. He also encouraged us to be people that don’t make quick promises but to keep it simple and stick to our word. He did all of that encouraging because that is how He is – that is His nature. He is faithful to what He promised, He is true to His word.
When we live in societies and a world to which promises are feeble, then we need to regroup our thoughts and realise that the God we serve is NOT like this world. He is faithful. If He promises something He makes it happen. He is true to His word(the bible) and to His prophetic promises. He cannot lie – He is not a man and He is definitely not like this world. He is Someone on whom we can rely.
Our lives are sometimes built on what we think this world or people in this world can deliver, whereas our lives should be built on what God can do and what He said He can and will do. That will make us a people with our feet firmly on the Rock. If we live and are driven to and fro with what this world dishes up, then we can never be stable and peaceful. If we build our lives on what He says, it cannot change and remains firm, unchanging. We have a steadfast Hope in Him, we know what He says and we cling to that.
I love where King David wrote:
Psa 61:2(KJV) From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Those times when I feel overwhelmed and feel like I am on a rollercoaster in this world, then I quieten myself, I go to the feet of my Father and I sit on His faithfulness – He is my rock.
We can run to Him anytime and anywhere and he can quieten our anxious hearts, reminding us of His faithfulness and that we can trust Him – always and forever.
Love
Liesl
