Promise Keeper

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him…,” (2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV)

As the recent local rainstorms poured fervently, many grounds undertook more water than they could hold, resulting in flooded areas. Because of the rising waters, my mind was tempted to run to anxious thoughts. The insurgence of rain affected someone close to me as they cried watching the water enter their humble home. With this gut-wrenching phone call the temptation to run to anxious thoughts was no longer a temptation, but a full-blown affair with anxiety.

I’m a fixer. It’s difficult for me to hear someone’s woes and trials and not attempt to curate a solution to ease their pain and suffering. But sometimes we’re not called to “fix it.” What we are called to do at all times is to: rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16), pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18), rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4), do not be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6), think on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8), and to count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2).

These biblical imperatives are not a means to bury our heads in the sand of real-life devastations and griefs. They don’t give us a right of passage to judge our suffering and hurting brothers and sisters as they wrestle with the reality of a current fallen world-wreckage. We aren’t to mask the realness of ruins by painting a false narrative that a “blessed” Christian mirrors a rainbow and butterfly life because all you must do is name and claim it. Insert eyeroll emoji. No. These biblical imperatives should charge us with a desire to nosedive into the depths of scripture. How can I rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, be anxious for nothing, think on truth, and count it all joy?

We can’t walk in these biblical orders apart from knowing the One Who makes any of these beautiful commands possible. Our holy and good God. The God of the Bible. The God of Genesis. The God of the Old Testament. The God of the Gospels. The God of the New Testament. The God of Revelation. My God is the same God as yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

What I learn and am reminded from scripture daily is that my God is a Promise Keeper.

As the waters rose from multiple days of rain and anxiousness drove its way to the center of my heart, my gracious God led me to truth as He displayed His beautiful bow in the sky radiating candescent colors. My anxiousness didn’t stand a chance against the rainbow invading my God’s skies. His promise to Noah from long ago still stands today.

“I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set a bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth,” (Genesis 9:11-13 ESV).

During these recent days of rain, it’s not that I feared God was going to lapse in memory of His covenant with Noah—His promise to never flood the earth again, but anxious thoughts of water damage, road closures, and potential wrecks invaded so swiftly. It pains and convicts me that I fall for this trickery of the enemy all too often. These fallings to anxious thoughts affect my reactions to life’s circumstances in a way that is not honoring to my Lord and doesn’t uphold His directions in scripture. It bears rotting fruit of not trusting Him. It reflects a heart that doesn’t reverence His title as Promise Keeper.

It’s with protruding pride that I forget the Promise Keeper title of my Lord. But His bow after the rains reminds me of this truth that will stand until His day of judgment comes to pass. I pray the assurance the rainbow represents mortifies my pride every time my God orders it to shine across His skies.

My God promises many things to His children all through scripture. His promises are fulfilled and without error. Because He is the Promise Keeper, that makes Him trustworthy. When His trustworthiness takes root in our hearts our desire to submit under His beautiful authority should grow without ceasing.

Even when.

Even when our lives are held to the flames. Even when relationships experience division. Even when we’re burying a loved one. Even when the rising waters surround.

Even when.

He is still the Promise Keeper.

Our circumstances change. Sin still tempts. Homes deteriorate. Bodies grow old. Minds forget. But God never-changes and He never breaks His promises to His children. He seals His child for salvation, justifies them, sanctifies them, and glorifies them. God will continuously draw His child close to Himself resulting in continual and life-changing repentance. No matter the outer circumstance, He is committed to His glory by changing us from the inside out with His wonderful beautification process that renders our flesh to pain from time to time.

When we recognize the Lord as Promise Keeper it becomes easier to look past mere earthly circumstances and look to Him. He is outside of our circumstances, yet He is right there with us in our circumstances. He is near to His child. In His forever nearness He continuously gives good gifts to His child. His good gifts are not limited to earthly provisions but aligns with his boundless riches in glory in Jesus Christ. Our Promise Keeper’s oaths are saturated in the heavenly kind. We cannot fathom what He has waiting for us in eternal glory.

My God is Promise Keeper, (Hebrews 10:23)

Faithful Father, (Deuteronomy 1:29-31)

Sovereign Salvation, (Jonah 2:9)

Kind King, (Psalm 145:8-9)

Magnificent Maker, (Psalm 104)

Glorious God, (Psalm 19:1)

Loyal Lord, (Deuteronomy 7:9)

Joyous Jehovah, (Zephaniah 3:17)

Radiant Rabbi, (Hebrews 1:3)

Peaceful Prince, (Isaiah 9:6)

Holy Hosanna, (Psalm 22:3-5)

Devoted Deliverer, (Psalm 40:17)

I encourage you to take the time to look up each of these scriptures and commit to continue to grow in knowing more of Who God is through His wonderful Word.

Here are some of my favorite assurances etched in scripture that my holy God is bound to as Promise Keeper:

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:19 ESV).

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,” (Isaiah 41:10 ESV).

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,” (Revelation 21:4 ESV).

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory,” (2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV).

I Trust my God, I Trust my God, I Trust my God

Ardently His,

Jess Dennis