But . . . you promised . . .

Child specialists say that trust develops when we are about two years old. If betrayal happens in those early years, trusting anyone later, including God, becomes more difficult. This is why “But dad, you promised” are such sad words. Parents need to keep their promises.

One important reason is that children form their ideas about God from how they perceive their parents. My mom and dad were loving, kind, and spoiled me. I have no problem believing in the lovingkindness of God, but it was a shock to find out that He would not grant everything I asked for. However, I could trust my parents so trusting God has not been as difficult for me as it is for some.

Those who have abusive parents, or have been abandoned, or betrayed, or unloved have a difficult time believing that God will never leave them, will always take care of them and will always love them. In their minds, the father image mars the Father image.

Today’s verses are about the promises God makes to His people and His reliability in giving us what we need to escape the destructive power of sin.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3–4)

Spurgeon uses a word picture to explain the best way to experience God’s promises. He says to think of them as like grapes in a winepress that when treaded upon, the juice flows. Meditating on those promises, dwelling on God’s words, is often the prelude to their fulfilment.

This happened to me yesterday. I was reading this same passage. It says that I must add perseverance to my faith — that I can do so because of God’s promises. As I thought about it and the situation I was in that required perseverance, the promise was fulfilled. My burden was lifted as God supplied the patient endurance I needed.

An important part of thinking about these promises is remembering who made them. The Bible is the very words of God. As Spurgeon says, if I were dealing with the promises of an ordinary person, I would consider the ability and character of that person before believing the promises. In the same way, I must consider the God who makes the promises in the Bible. Sometimes I think about the impossibility (or so it seems) of the promise itself, but when I think about the One who made it, I am encouraged. This is God speaking, the One who created all things by His Word. Anyone who can speak a universe into existence will not find anything impossible nor would He make impossible promises.

He also cannot lie. I am convinced that His Word is as true as the fact of His existence. He is unchangeable and His Word does not alter, nor does He say, “Oops, forget that I said that.”

God is wise and knows the best time and place to fulfill His promises. He knows when I need them fulfilled and when I need to grow in faith by trusting Him even if nothing seems to be happening. This is no mere mortal who might fail, but God who never fails.

***************

Lord, many of Your promises are about my growth in Christlikeness. Some are about physical care or spiritual healing. Some include answers to prayer. Whatever You promise, You are the reason I can depend on that promise. Even if feelings of doubt rise in me, You remain faithful. Your promises are not about my ability to trust or even remember what You say. They are about You and Your total reliability. I will never need to say to You, “But Father, You promised.”