Promises

Our Sunday morning Bible class is studying the topic of Promises to us as
Christians. We are looking at the positive side of what our Christian life is
all about. I don't know about you, but I need that reinforcement. Far too often
I seem to concentrate on the "thou shalt not's" and not nearly enough
on the positive aspect of our relationship to God. What is it that you
concentrate upon? Where are your prayers centered? Do we pray that the bumps in
the road be smoothed, or that we can endure the bumps as they come? Truth be
told, a lot of what we are willing to endure depends upon what the rewards at
the end of the journey. Often it is all about the promise....



We have a member of our family a little 7 pound dog named Chewy.
She listens to our promises and remembers. We tell her, "Go potty and
we'll give you a treat". She remembers... We tell her, "We're going
to church and when we get back we'll give you a treat". She remembers (and
if you forget she reminds you). At times, just the mention of the treat has her
wagging from the tip of her tail to the tip of her nose.



What promises from God are special to you? What is it that you remember no
matter what happens in your life? Which ones make you tingle with excitement?
There are so many verses that deal with promises. One of my favorites is Romans
8:28, where Paul reminds us that no matter what is
going on in our lives, in the end it will work out to good if we love and trust
God. Or perhaps in 1 John 1:7-10, where John reminds us, that if we are God's
child, his blood continually cleanses us from all sin. Also, no matter how we
mess up, if we will truly repent and ask for forgiveness, he will forgive us.
And of course his promise that someday we will be with him in heaven, no more
vision problems, no more hearing problems, no more body aches or failure of
body parts to respond (1 Corinthians 15:51-53). Everything is going to be brand
new and as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "and
so shall we ever be with the Lord."

How about spending some time thinking about the promises, it
will do you an eternity of good!