The Sunday Sermonette – A Promise Broken. A Promise Kept.
Promises are delicate threads that weave our lives together with high-octane words. Promises kept are uplifting, filling us with a sense of love and hope. But broken promises are destructive, leaving behind shards of shattered dreams. History is filled with these shards.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson won re-election, promising to keep America out of World War I, only to enter it a year later. In the early 1930s, Hitler promised Germans that he would reestablish their dignity and importance in Europe and abroad, only to leave the country a shattered, broken ruin by 1945.
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson promised: “We are not about to send American boys thousands of miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves,” only to escalate the Vietnam War. President George H. W. Bush famously promised in 1988: “Read my lips: No new taxes,” only to sign a bill raising taxes during his first and only term.
Broken promises create consequences that can be devastating. They erode trust, making it challenging to maintain healthy relationships, which can lead to feelings of anxiety or depression. They can tarnish a person’s reputation, making it difficult to reestablish one’s credibility. And broken promises can come back to haunt, as well.
In the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, the prophetic prophet was sent by Father God to warn the Assyrians of their upcoming destruction. They were a mighty empire that dominated the Biblical Middle East with barbarity coupled with the sword. They also personified the old adage: Promises are made to be broken.
Through Isaiah, Father God said, “Destruction is certain for you Assyrians, who have destroyed everything around you but have never felt destruction yourselves. You expect others to respect their promises to you while you betray your promises to them. Now you, too, will be betrayed and destroyed.” The lesson? Broken promises almost always lead to some type of destruction, be it mental or physical.
Thankfully, there is someone who, unlike world leaders and marauding armies, does keep his promises, and that is God! Come what may—ill health, wars and rumors of war, evil, gossip, brother against brother, and lies—we can trust God to keep His promises and to be with us in all circumstances. His faithfulness is our anchor in the storm. “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promises,” states Hebrews.
“Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint,” says Isaiah. “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” This is the hope we hold onto, the promise of a bright future in God’s hands!
Dear ones, I leave you with Annie Flint’s poem, “What God Hath Promised.”
“God hath not promised
skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways
all our lives through;
God hath not promised
sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
peace without pain.
But God hath promised
strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
Undying love.
As we reflect on the power of promises kept, let us remember the ultimate promises of Father God. Let us hold fast to them, for they are our source of strength and hope.
Ponder this and go forth.