February 26, 2008

Promises, Promises

Read Deuteronomy 7:6-9, Hebrews 13:8, UM Hymnal #396

With the Political Season well under weigh, it's easy to think that promises are really nothing more than empty sales pitches.

• “Vote for me and everyone will have a job and a big raise!”
• “A chicken in every pot!”
• “Peace in our time!”

Pretty discouraging, isn't it?
Why do we put up with it? Why do we reward the next batch of soon-to-be-broken promises with our votes? Haven't we learned that people break promises?

Now consider this list of promises:

• Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
• For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
• Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

What's the difference? Both promise the world and more, but these promises we can trust, because of Who it is making them.

After all, Jesus keeps His promises. The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever – faithful and just to forgive and empower us through the Holy Spirit.

Hey, there's a huge added bonus. When we have the Holy Spirit in us, we now can live by Him – we can call upon the power of God to help us to keep the promises we make.

I'm thinking of the promises we make at a baptism, whether we're being baptized, bringing our children, or just in the congregation. Or the same kinds of promises we make at confirmation. Or the promises we make at our weddings.

Each time there's a baptism, we're reminded that we've promised to raise children, keeping them within the guidance of the church. We're reminded each time there's a confirmation that we also promised to renounce evil and to live for Jesus. Each wedding remindes us that we promised to forsake all others, to love one another in sickness and health, for richer for poorer, all that stuff.

In each of these promises, we haven't just promised God and each other that we'll keep them, we've asked God to help us to do so – to empower us, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to keep the promises we have made. And He will. As long as we're willing to allow Him to help, He will. And He does.

You know, it's not always easy, living for God and keeping our promises,
but it's always a Joy.

Charlie van Becelaere