When God Makes a Promise

 

Thursday, March 31, 2022

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.  O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.  I have called you by name; you are mine.  When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place.  Others were given in exchange for you.  I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me.  You are honored, and I love you.  “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.  I will gather you and your children from east and west.  I will say to the north and south, ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth.  Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory.  It was I who created them.’”      Isaiah 43:1-7

Considering the wanderings and trials Israel had been through, slavery in Egypt, the Exodus, escape from Pharoah’s armies through the deep waters on dry land, flames and despots, the promise of God in Isaiah’s words had to ring as true Good News, like the rainbow which spoke God’s promise to Noah after the flood. 

This prophecy ends with a proclamation for Israel’s future, that of coming back home from every point of the globe.  And the reason…You are honored, and I love you…I have made them for my glory.  It was I who created them.

There’s certainly enough in Scripture to sense that when God makes a promise, it’s far more than a pinky-swear kind of thing.  The promises of God are, in a majorly way, beyond a sixth-grader’s romanticized pledge to his buddy of the week that they’ll be best friends forever.  At longest those promises usually last until 7^th grade.

One of the deep water moments of my life and walk with God came just a few months ago, when lying on a hospital gurney.  The cardiologist had just begun my stress test to check my heart’s pumping performance.  She went into the other room to monitor the test result’s progress, and then virtually flew back to my side, stopping the test.  She said my heart’s blood flow was down to 10%.  The test would be too much strain on an under-performing organ.  My first thought (honestly) was:  Well, at least I won’t have to do charge conference next year. 

A different kind of stress test was completed (a less-stressful one).  Elizabeth and I had time to sit and talk about the implications of what the doctor had said about possibilities of treatments, and the change of course our life might experience.  While we were reviewing the scope and effect of so many things we’d just been told, and how we were going to cope with this outcome, or that change of routine, or if this meant retiring was not just an option, but a mandate, I began thinking in the way Israel’s people must’ve sensed when God promised they would be coming home…back to the place of their heritage. 

One theme that recurred over and again these past several months of dealing with heart failure, is that God’s heart doesn’t…fail.  Our lives (on this planet) are quite brief, but the “rainbow promise” that God will bring us home is eternal.  All the episodes of tough times, tears of joy, and even boredom, are the nursery school for what is to come…the life of promise with our Lord. 

For You Today

At whatever stage of life you find yourself today, the spring of youth, or the winter of old age, remember to live into the promise God has made, that, since He created you, He won’t abandon you.  Keep your eyes on that ball!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©