Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
Psalm 15 – God’s Promises Are Different
Mary stood beside Jim almost twenty years ago when he uttered the promise that made her his wife. The words returned to her now: something about having and holding, for better or for worse, both in sickness and in health…until “death do us part.” But today the death that parted them was the death of his promise. Jim could articulate his `reasons’ – incompatibility, pressure from work, another person to whom he promised and gave too much. To Mary, all his words added up to a broken promise.
Allen accepted the offer, signed the contract, and worked hard and faithfully for almost thirty years with the company that hired him right out of engineering school. His career track led to great benefits, profit-sharing, and the `certain’ prospect of a comfortable, secure retirement. But unknown to him, somewhere along the way, the world changed and with it all the rules of his workplace. He had been `laid off’ (the phrase seemed weak and totally inadequate to describe what he experienced) just short of retirement, with little hope of beginning again at his age. Feelings of betrayal and injustice engulfed Allen, threatening to destroy him and all he had worked so hard to build. With tears in his eyes he (said), “They didn’t keep their promises.”
She should have stayed. She told him she would never leave, that she would be all right, that God would make her well. But at age thirty-one, his mother died. She might not have intended to make a promise, but he took her words as a guarantee. Nine years old, with baseball cap, tattered jeans, and a tearstained smudge on his face, he tried to explain to the guys on his Little League team why his mom couldn’t bring the soft drinks after games this year. She said she would stay. But she didn’t. (Illustrations from Larry James, “Can God Be Trusted to Keep A Promise?,” Image, May-June, 1994, p.39.)
There isn’t a person who hasn’t been affected by broken promises – promises that others broke, or promises that we broke ourselves. We live in a world where disappointment and broken promises seem commonplace, even expected. In fact you can promise that the promises will be broken. We live in a world where relationships are strained broken and damaged beyond repair. We live in a world of distrust and pain.
Admittedly, sometimes people never intended to keep the promise. In those cases, the promise was merely empty placating. Oftentimes promises get broken simply because “life gets in the way.” When that happens, explanations and apologies need to be proffered. But we must do our best to do our best.
The following Psalm has literally haunted me when I wanted to break a promise but forced myself to follow through:
Psalms 15:1-5 NASB A Psalm of David. O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? (2) He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. (3) He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; (4) In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; (5) He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
Verse four is the verse of impact. Notice some other rendering from various translations:
- (BBE) … He who takes an oath against himself, and makes no change.
- (CEV) … And they keep their promises, no matter what the cost.
- (DRB) … He that sweareth to his neighbour, and deceiveth not;
- (GNB) … They always do what they promise, no matter how much it may cost.
- (GW) … The one who makes a promise and does not break it, even though he is hurt by it.
Yes, the world is filled with broken promises, but we seek God’s holy hill, and His tent of presence (Psalm 15). We are not of this world (John 17:14). Our King’s kingdom is not of this world (John 18:26). Our God’s promises are not of this world and therefore never fail (Deuteronomy 7:9). We live in a world filled with divine promises of salvation, heaven, forgiveness, grace, mercy, compassion, and other gifts emulating from God’s faithfulness. We live in a world where we live in faith, knowing, trusting, and believing in God’s promises because our God is faithful. We live in a world waiting on God to fulfill His promises, according to His wisdom, patience, and His glory.
We live in a world where “not one of the good promises which the LORD had made… failed; all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:43-45).
Let us live worthy of God’s promises.
Let us live lives of promises, of expecting them, believing them, and keeping them.
Comments