Read Psalm 105
I recently heard a true story that is a reminder of the value of keeping a promise. In the early 1950s, Robert was drafted by the Army to fight in Korea. His younger brother Junie enlisted in order to keep watch over his brother. Junie had but one request of his big brother – that he take care of his collection of comic books should anything happen to him in battle.
Junie had amassed a collection of more than 5,000 comic books. Robert knew how important those books were to his brother so he promised to take care of them. Not long after Robert had made that promise, Junie was killed in action.
When Robert returned home from war, he made good on his promise. With great care and caution, he boxed up his brother’s comic books and placed them in an attic for safe storage. And there they sat, undisturbed, for over fifty years.
From time to time Robert would open the boxes and look at the comic books as he thought about his brother. Little did he know that these comic books had become a rare and valuable set of books. The comic books were recently valued at over $10 million dollars!
It seems rare these days to find people who are willing to keep their promises no matter what. I have to admit, there have been times when I haven't followed through on a promise made. Did you know promises are highly valued in the Bible? There are approximately 8,810 promises in the Bible.
And here's what's so great about the promises of God... He will always keep them. Our God is a promise keeping God! King David wrote in Psalm 145:13: "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does."
David most likely wrote our psalm for today, Psalm 105. And in it, he once again reminds his readers that God remembers His promises. Look at v. 8: "He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations".
He then walks us through His covenant protection of Israel, beginning with Abraham and then with Joseph and with Moses. He begins with the promise made to give the seed of Abraham a chosen land and ends with the people taking possession of that land. God delivers on His promises!
We may not be the the nation of Israel, but we are His chosen people as well, as a result of the New Covenant (Jesus' death and resurrection). If God kept His promises to Israel, He will keep them with us. I promise.
What promises of God do you need to lean into today?
What are a couple ways God has been a promise keeper to you so far this year? Take time to praise the Promise keeper!
Prayer for the day: "Heavenly Father, I lift your name on high because you are a covenant keeping God. I can trust you when life doesn't make sense because I know you are faithful to your word. In Jesus' name, amen."