Promises, Promises

PROMISES, PROMISES

 

Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do . . .
(Deut. 23:23 NIV).

 

What promises have you made and kept? What promises have you not kept? Someone has said, "A promise is the one thing that, after giving it, you had better keep." Just as God's promise-keeping is a reflection of His character, so our faithfulness or failure to keep our word reflects our character as well.

 

I have a few suggestions and observations about making promises. First, make only those promises you have every intention of keeping. Second, it never pays to make promises to impress others. Third, don't make promises under pressure. That goes for vows made in storms, in foxholes, at deathbeds or sickbeds — these are apt to be forgotten when the trouble is past.

 

Promises made to God are serious business. People promise to tithe, to attend church faithfully, to make restitution, to quit bad habits, to do any number of things. But often years go by and the promises remain unfulfilled.

 

God may seem to be slow about keeping His promises. But He has not forgotten. His clock keeps perfect time. "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?" (Num. 23:19 KJV).

 

Life response: Am I keeping my promises?