Promises, Promises

Monday, October 3, 2011

The lyrics to Burt Bacharach’s Promises, Promises from his Broadway musical of the same name reveal some truths about making promises.

Oh, promises, their kind of promises can just destroy a life
Oh, promises, those kind of promises take all the joy from life
Oh, promises, promises, my kind of promises
Can lead to joy and hope and love

Often promises people make us are broken and can “take all the joy from life.” It’s common to hear of broken promises in marriages, in politics, in the workplace and in friendships. We all search for the promises that will give us “joy and hope and love.” Let’s assume that the word “my” in the third line refers to Christ. It is truly his promises that lead to “joy and hope and love.” His are the promises we can “stand” on as the old hymn says.

I’m standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing.
I’m standing on the promises of God.

But what does it mean to “stand” on God’s promise? It means to live - to act, to speak, and to think - based on God’s promises. Let’s ponder these five promises this week.
1. He promises never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
2. He promises to instruct us and teach us in the way that we should go (Psalm 32:8).
3. He promises that he has plans to prosper us and not to harm us but to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
4. We have a promise that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
5. If we confess our sins to him, he promises that he will be faithful and just and will forgive us (I John 1:9).

Is there anything in your life that needs to “stand” on God’s promises? Promises, Promises, God’s promises lead to “joy and hope and love.”