07/27/2019
God’s promises, they weren’t made to just teach or guarantee us something about the world we live in, but rather to reveal God who created it. His promises weren’t meant to educate us about ourselves, but to lead us to become as He is. When we read God’s Word as an instruction manual on how to be a better human being... we have missed its essence, and the depth of His promises.
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”
2 Peter 1:3 ESV
Our earthly parents teach us and make promises to us about life, and if we honor them God made us a promise as well. He told us that if we did this we would live a long life, but the greater promise here is implied... it is about honoring Him as our Heavenly Father. If we honor Him then our life will be much longer... it will be eternal.
“"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
Exodus 20:12 ESV
God gives us a physical life, and He also gives us a spiritual life. Our physical life on earth is meant to teach us of our greater divine life in heaven. Sure, by learning the earthly lessons from our Mothers and Father’s we will not do things which will harm us, we learn how to provide for ourselves, and do the other things that will extend our lives in earth, but each of these lessons and promises of God teach us something further... how to extend our divine lives eternally.
An example that comes to mind is God’s promise to fight our battles for us. At first blush it appears to be a promise about keeping us alive, and to stand up for us, but It is much more than that... it tells us about the nature of God Himself and what to expect from Him, and it teaches us that if we are to be as He is then we must be ready to defend those we love and care for.
“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."”
Exodus 14:14 ESV
The very next verse builds on this promise of defense by telling us to trust, and not doubt God. He is basically saying to Moses “Get off your backside and get moving, I told you I would do this.” Absolute trust... it is a powerful lesson that is coupled to most, if not all, of God’s promises.
“The Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.”
Exodus 14:15-16 ESV
So what did this one promise of God teach us about himself? It taught us that He was mighty, that He was to be trusted at His Word, that He could do great things we couldn’t imagine ourselves doing, and that if we were faithful, and like him, we would be able to do these things too. He was teaching Moses and Israel about the power of wielding His staff, and what it meant to be divine.
So when you go into your prayer closet are you going there to simply ask God for deliverance, or some other favor, or are you going in trust, and carrying the knowledge of your previous lessons? Are you asking Him to save you, provide for you, or some other thing that will improve your life on earth, or are you asking Him to show you something about Himself that if you learn to imitate will lead you into a stronger relationship with Him?
There is an old Chinese proverb that goes like this... “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” The Christian version would use similar wisdom, but it would end by saying “feed him for eternity.”
The lessons of prayer have two parts, the first is that God honors His promises to us, and will make your life better, but the second part is a lesson in who He is, and what we should become in our pursuit to be like Him. This is true of every one of God’s promises... not just in His parting of the sea, or what transpires in our prayer closet, but in each and every one of them. What do we learn from His promise regarding strengthening us, about walking through fire, or about His faithfulness? When He says such things are we simply holding Him to His literal Word as it relates to this world, or are we looking for the deeper lesson that He is teaching us about who He is, and who we are meant to be?
So as we read the promises of God, let’s not just open our eyes to what He will do right now, in this place, as we lean on our faith in Him, but let’s turn our heads side to side as we take in the fullness of what He is showing us. Did Jesus simply come to remove sin, or was He revealing much more? Are we prepared to learn the lessons His life teaches that will prepare us for a divine and holy life in heaven... eternity?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the provision and mercy your promises bring us in our everyday lives, but thank you more for what you reveal to us about yourself, and how we can become more like your Son Jesus... and you. Help us Holy Father to be receptive to your Spirit, and to allow Him to open our hearts and our minds to your glory, and the divinity you have granted us. Encourage us Lord to look deep into your promises and see the person that you would have us become. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who calls us to Himself and teaches us to walk with Him. Great are your promises that are deeper than the sea, and wider than the sky. Praised be your name throughout eternity, and wonderful the Word you have given us as we sing unto you. Your mercy should be our mercy, your grace the grace we employ when dealing with others. Your promises are the vehicles of your glory, and are eternally true... even beyond our lives in this world.
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10 ESV
Rich Forbes