When we speak of the promises of God, our thoughts usually revert to the Abrahamic promise, which is, of course, the most important promise in the Bible, since it concerns our eternal destiny But there are many others most precious and wonderful promises that we have overlooked or only partially believed, which, if we had the faith to receive and act upon, would lift many of the burdens of fear, anxiety and worry that some of us seem to carry through life.
When is the time for us to claim these promises? Always, of course, every minute of our lives We should read these promises, ponder over them, and have faith to receive and apply them, always, but particularly so when trials for which we can see no definite reason overtake us, when we are nearing life’s closing years, when we are ill, alone, and when we cannot see through the impenetrable clouds that surround us These are the times when God’s promises shine like jewels through the darkness, and will lighten our way if we will but believe them. Jesus asked the ones whom He healed: “Believest thou that I can do this?” He didn’t heal everyone who crossed His path; only those who came to Him and asked for help—in other words those that believed He could and would do what they asked of Him.
There are few direct miracles of healing today, but there are numerous miraculous healings through medical science. God can lead us to the right doctor, to the right position, help us solve difficult problems, and assist us in every way, as we shall see when we take up one by one many of the precious promises from Genesis to Revelation.
We will remember that the children of Israel left Egypt, the land of bondage, to travel to Canaan, the land of promise. But between the two countries was a vast wilderness to be traversed, and many difficulties to be overcome. They had received many assurances of God’s providential care, in fact, they had experienced His miracles, yet the majority of them did not believe in God’s promises, always complaining and wishing to return to the land of bondage. The result of this was their wandering for years in the dark wilderness, and only a few of that generation reaching the land of Canaan. We say that we wouldn’t have acted in such a manner had we been there. But do we not act just that way in disbelieving or overlooking the promises that God has given us? And so we wander in life’s wilderness when we might in our own hearts behold the promised land.
A Long Journey
It is true that between us and the kingdom of God is a long, tiresome, and often sorrowful journey. But if we allow our dear Savior to share our trials and burdens with us, we will see a gleam of light, a gleam of hope shining through the night, and suddenly, “for the joy that is set before us” we bear the cross with rejoicing.
Let us now look at three promises in Genesis.
“Fear not Abram: I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen. 15: I). A shield is a broad piece of defensive armor carried on the arm or in the hand, formerly in general use. The Bible tells us that God is our shield also, to protect us from every evil power. Most of us do not face actual bullets today, but we face subtle powers of evil which will certainly overcome us if we do not have the Lord for our shield. But why stumble blindly through this world, pierced by the darts of wickedness, and finally go down into the eternal nothingness of the grave when God will be a shield for us if we will but ask Him?
Many people have been known to face unbelievable hardships for the reward of money or of glory. But all this honor and glory will soon pass and end in the grave whither all men go. God’s children may, and sometimes do glimpse the great reward that will be theirs if they are faithful. If we do behold even a glimmer of its glory, we will say with Paul: “I count all things but loss that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:8). And when this life is ended, we will receive the fulfillment of this promise, the exceeding great reward that will not pass away, but will be ours through ages everlasting.
We find the second promise in Gen. 18:14. The angel of the Lord, speaking for God, had promised a child to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. When Sarah laughed in unbelief, he said: “Is anything too hard for the Lord According to nature’s laws it would have been impossible for these elderly people to have a son, but there is indeed, nothing too hard for the Lord, and in due time Isaac was born.
God can remove our Mountain
This promise, also, applies to us. Our mountains of trouble and suffering are not too much for the Lord to remove if it is His will to do so. But if, as in the case of Paul, He thinks it is not for our best good to remove them, He has promised us strength to bear them, no matter how impossible it would be to endure them in our own mortal strength. “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness . . .” (2nd Cor 12:9) Indeed, if we would just remember that nothing is too hard for the Lord to perform, we would bring to Him our problems, whether physical, mental or spiritual, and, relying on His strength and wisdom to perform the seemingly impossible, would dismiss the troublesome matters from our minds, and know that all things work together for our good.
The third promise was given to Jacob after he had left home and was traveling to an unknown country Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest (Gen 28:15). Jacob needed this comfort and was con tent with the loss of all things, since he had the divine favor So it should be with us We should be willing to give up all to have the favor and love of God Just think what it means, having God with us where ever we go And that means every place, in the home, in the office, on trains, planes, in automobiles, buses, any dangerous place we may be called to go This does not mean that we shall be immune from all trouble and accidents But this we do know, that if we are God s children, nothing can befall us that is not His will, and we should look for the lesson it is meant to teach Perhaps we have not lived close enough to Him, or it may be we need more sympathy for others Whatever it may be, let us look to Him and know that He is with us We may draw away from Him, but He will not let us go Our withdrawal will be our own fault and not His Let us remember this wonderful verse in Psalms when we are tempted to doubt His providence Wait on the Lord be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart wait, I say, on the Lord (Psalms 27:14) Are we willing to wait until, in due time He unfolds all mysteries to us? Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face (1st Cor 13:12) Let us have faith in Him at all times and in every circumstance, and leave everything trustfully in His hands.
As we look into more and more of these precious promises, we shall see that they elaborate on these general promises, and go into more detail as to what God can and will do for us if we love and trust Him Let us apply them to ourselves, and be as shining lights, bringing sun shine from the shadows, and gladdening the hearts of all those about us.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One