Looking Back on the Promises

 Life is mostly very unpredictable. On any given day we could be broadsided by some health problem or a job problem that leads to financial difficulties. It is impossible for us, as humans, to foretell the future. We can make our plans based on the best information we can gather, but we can see those things fall apart in a moment. It is only by looking back that we have 20/20 vision to see how God has led us and blessed us up to this point.

Joshua was getting older, and he wanted to prepare the Israelites to succeed after he was gone. He admonished them to obey the Lord's instructions. (Joshua 23:14) Then because he knew he would die before too long, he told them to remember that every promise of the Lord their God had come true. Not a single one had failed. In other words he was exhorting them to stick with the Lord and to depend on His promises.  I believe that is what we all need to do as we navigate the uncertainties of life.

I have mentioned before that we should mark the promises of God in the Bible as we read through God's Word. Then, we should take special note of those that make a difference in our life right now. We need to tell God that we are acting on His promise in faith. Then, we need to live in such a way that we know that God's promise is going to come true. We adjust our life to show that we are living in expectation of God keeping His promises.

As I look back on my life, I can see that none of God's promises have failed. I trusted His promise to protect me when I left home at 18, and He has never failed to watch over me and my family. I trusted His promise to bless our marriage, so that we would become "one flesh" and have the closest possible human relationship, and He did it for over 50 years. Through sickness and health, He has kept His promise never to leave us or forsake us. As we honored Him with our finances, He has proved Himself to us like He promised in Malachi 3:8-12. I could go on and on, but you can see these things with me, as I look back. Let's all take time to do that today.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Joshua 24 and Judges 1-2.