A Promise Keeper

Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 2 Kings 19:6-7 (New King James Version)

I find delight and comfort in God’s words for Hezekiah. As king of Judah, he and his people were being threatened by the king of Assyria. They had a track record of defeating many nations and boasted of that track record to Hezekiah. Their desire was to intimidate, distract, and eventually defeat God’s people. Yet God gives specific promises to Hezekiah that come true by the end of the chapter. In essence He says the king of Assyria will leave and be killed by the sword in his own land. What transpired was on a certain night 180,000 Assyrians were killed by the angel of the Lord and the Assyrian king went back to his homeland. While worshiping his god, Nisroch, his own sons killed him with the sword. Promise given, promise kept!

So why my delight and comfort? For the simple fact, that while God does not give me specific details for my daily situations, He nonetheless gives me promises to cling to. When faced with fears, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will never leave you.” When faced with disappointment, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will work all things out for good.” When faced with needs, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will meet all your needs.” When faced with loss, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will restore the years the locus have eaten.” When faced with difficult tasks, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will strengthen you and uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

He does not give me the specifics but He does give me the promises. Just as His promises were fulfilled countless times in Scripture they will continued to be fulfilled to me. As I look back I can attest to promises already fulfilled. Those reviews give me added assurance of future fulfillments. Walking by faith and not by sight does not mean I won’t see, it simply means I won’t see it ahead of time. So in times of testing, trials and troubles it is imperative that I verbally proclaim His promises to me and passionately claim them as His precious words to me. His desire is that, like Hezekiah, I bring the situations to Him and then listen as He reminds me of what He has promised to do.

Seeing the promises, accepting the promises, and living under the certainty of His promises is how I want to live my Christian life. No one but God offers such a gift!

Father, thank you that I am not left on my own to battle or survive this life. You are the ultimate promise Giver and Keeper. In that I rest. Amen.

I Will Sing - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw9CcLGjouM&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.