PROMISES, PROMISES

Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.  I Kings 8:56

 

It’s happened again.  The chapel sermon provoked my thinking about where I’m going in this Christian journey.  Our bishop shared a book she’s reading about a professor who told his students at opening session that every one of them would get an “A” in the course.  This was a grand experiment, but through the weeks, the professor reminded everyone what “A” students did:  They came to class; they participated; they worked hard.  Each week was a reminder, and the experiment worked.  As the students lived into the promise, they and their academic achievements flourished.

By now, you can see where I’m going… We live with access to a rich, inviolable document, the Bible that is full of astonishing promises given by a Person of impeccable integrity and unfailing resources.  There are so many promises—some sources count 3573 while others suggest 5467—that every human condition is covered.  The word promise is written 221 times.  If one single promise changed the lives and performance of a classroom of university students, just imagine how only a handful of promises could change our lives as we live into them.

Take, for example, God’s promise that he would never leave or forsake us (Deut. 31:8, Heb. 13:5, Matt. 28:20).  If we really believed that, would we ever be lonely or feel abandoned?  Would we ever sense that there was no one to help with important decisions or are we just left to our own devices?  When relationships fracture or when circumstances move us from our comfort zones, isn’t it comforting to know we’re not ever going to be alone?

Another promise that should fortify us is God’s promise in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  This beautiful word has the modifier “all.”  I think “all” means “all.”  Not “some” or “sometimes.”  God will supply ________________ (fill in the blank) according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Have you ever asked God to meet a financial need, a family need, an emotional need, a professional need?  Did you trust and then watch to see what he would do?  And then did you stand in awe at his faithfulness?

How about this one:  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9).  Grace, God’s free and unmerited favor, will sustain us when all our resources are depleted and when we are weakest.  Perhaps that’s why grace is so amazing.

One of my personal favorites is, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Once again, I love the word “all.”  All things work together for good to them that love God…  God doesn’t say that everything looks good at first blush, but he promises that eventually all things will work together and result in good.  We just have to be patient.

I could go on and on.  There are promises about deliverance in temptation, victory over death, forgiveness of sin, eternal life, family, God’s love, and hundreds more—possibly up to 5467.  It shouldn’t be all that difficult.  We are just to believe what God says and live into the promise.  Obedience is our part; fulfillment is God’s.

Not one word has failed of all his good promises…

 

Promise-making and promise-keeping God, help us to trust you as we live into your good Word and your good promises.  May you be pleased as you see us becoming more and more like you.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

SWEET JOSEPHINE

But ask the animals, and they will teach you…that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.  Job 12:7, 9, 10

Today I came across a picture of Josephine.  It evoked nostalgia and reminded me of my adventure with her and the bond we formed in months of working in the capital of Uganda, Kampala.  Being away from home so long, I was missing Albert and Victoria and the companionship that came with their unconditional love.

 

 

The night was rainy, one of those times when the skies seemed to be falling and the rain drops stung when they hit you.  It was impossible to sleep.  In the middle of that thunderous monsoon, I heard a sound of desperate crying coming from somewhere near.  I wanted to pretend I hadn’t heard that piercing sound and tried to go back to sleep.  But the moans wouldn’t stop.

Finally, I put on my robe, picked up my umbrella and my torch (flashlight), and headed out the door to locate the source of the cries.  Louder and louder they came as I approached the huge rubbish pit in the banana trees just below my terrace.  I shined my light all around the bottom of the hole, and about fourteen feet down, I saw a terrified dog who had fallen in during her nightly quest for food.  I called to her, but there was nothing I could do until the household woke up, and I could get a ladder.

Several hours later, the house lights came on, so I knocked on the back door and explained the dilemma and need for help.  Gilbert and Jackson put on their rain slickers, got a ladder, and followed me.  The three of us were eventually able to subdue and get the frightened animal out of the hole.  As soon as she reached the top, she sped to a place near the back of the compound where we discovered she had four newborn babies.  (Later, in the morning we discovered two more babies who had fallen into the nearby latrine and needed rescuing.)

Josephine (so named because we had pulled her out of the pit) became my constant companion anytime I left my apartment on the compound.  We gave the babies biblical names (Joseph, Daniel, Jeremiah, etc.) referring to those who had also had “pit” experiences.  The house boys helped with feeding Josephine—the neighboring guest house saved us all their scraps—Josephine didn’t like commercial dog food.  And various neighbors eventually adopted all the babies.

Whenever I needed a little reminder of home, Josephine was there.  She and the babies ran to greet me anytime I was within viewing distance of their little makeshift home.  She changed the entire culture of the compound in a place that wasn’t accustomed to having animals as pets.  And she shared that same unconditional love with all our visitors.

The day came for me to pack up and begin my twenty-seven hour trip home.  I couldn’t bear to tell Josephine I was leaving, but somehow she knew and came up to my apartment to haunt the doorway all day long.  Then she disappeared.  When my driver appeared to take me to the airport that night, I saw a movement in the bushes.  It was Josephine.  She had come out to say goodbye.  And then she was gone.

In all my later visits back to my temporary home in Kampala, Josephine remembered me and was always as happy to see me as I her.  The boys kept their promise and watched over and loved her.  This past year I got a message that Josephine was sick, and the vet was called (an amazing occurrence).  Josephine was loved and buried within the compound.

Am I romanticizing to think that God sent her just to bring me companionship at a lonely time?  That she stayed to demonstrate unconditional love to the other family members in the compound?  And that Josephine changed a tiny piece of culture?

 

Father, I am so grateful for all those demonstrations of love you shower on us.  Thank you especially for Albert and Victoria, for Edward and Frances, and for sweet Josephine.  They have been wonderful blessings from you who created all things.  AMEN.