This was a promise made to Jacob by the Lord. It is also a promise I have embroidered on my soul in violet. Take a long, hard, encouraging look at this meaningful word. In some translations it has the Lord swearing (which He can only do by Himself as there is nothing higher or more sacred) that He will stand by us until He has accomplished everything He has promised.
That makes the bottoms of my feet tingle. It make my mind spin. It makes a shout work its way up from a deep place. God swears to always be fully present until everything He has promised He has performed. Not until we pull it off under our own steam but until it is accomplished by His limitless ability to speak to what is not and make it reality.
The scriptures are full of His sweeping promises to the body. My life is also overflowing with personal promises made to me. Not fanciful, shallow promises but promises to bring the Kingdom into my life, my family and my world. God is present and powerful and producing responses to my faith in His word.
As you know, I have a son who was in a war. I prayed and God promised me things. That was almost ten years ago. On a recent trip to visit my son and his family, I was coming up the stairs into the living room when God tapped me on the shoulder. John David was at the table working on care plans, his wife and my grandson were downstairs playing, I had just been explaining about how Jesus loved us as His own treasure to a little boy I had taken on a treasure hunt. As my foot reached the top step there came a familiar voice, "Kathy, this is what you were praying for when John David was in Iraq. This is what I promised." And it was.
Some promises take forever it seems but although it seems to drag, wait for it, it is coming. God never forgets, or despairs or abandons the plan. We sometimes feel all the burden to accomplish a thing is on our shoulders. Look again at what He has said, "...until I've done everything..." I think that is part of the " My yoke is easy and My burden is light.." observation. (Kim Lorentzen recently shared some wisdom with me about this that I hope she will develop into a post.)
Jacob saw the patient, forceful, miraculous truth of those words. I am seeing it too. I am taking the Lord at His word, the stripped down to fighting-weight-word. He will yet do what He has promised me. He who is faithful will show up on my behalf and Hell will not get to carry the ball. I am looking to God and God will not be absent.
Some friends took me to tea at a local greenhouse-gift shop for my birthday. All day I had been delighting myself with that scripture. "I'll stick with you until I've done everything I promised you." There was a lovely African Violet in full bloom and I purchased it as a particular thank you for God. It may be sitting in my front room but it is His and more than the violet is blooming, I am blooming...until.
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son... And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun. Romans 8:29-30 The Message
(Thank you to Jan, Elizabeth and Cheryl for tea and friendship.)
Posts
What a life-breath on the long-wait promises this is. We need a new word for "faithful" - maybe we've used it too often or too lightly, because it doesn't touch what God is, "...stay(ing) with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun." -K
ReplyDeleteI am waiting - much has been accomplished - MUCH to be thankful for - still unrest - still waiting - I know He's not finished - waiting for his leading. . .
ReplyDelete