Promises, Promises

Something I discovered as I have grown older: humans are filled with empty promises. Whether it be someone of the opposite sex promising a glorious future that's impossible to deliver, a parent promising something as small as a special outing that didn't ever happen, or just a friend that promises to be there through thick and thin but ends up disappearing when times get rough. I once heard it said that, "promises were meant to be broken." Not so with the Father. He fully intends to keep His promises to His children, and that is something I can forever count on.
As I sit here in my comfy brown chair listening to my Sheltie scarf down the last of his Iams Meaty Small Bites and the gentle rain tapping on my windows, I think back to earlier this evening. John and I went to our small group--better known as Wednesday Night Meet-Up--and the topic was spiritual authority. The 6 of us that attended talked in great detail about our own spiritual authority and how important it is on a daily basis to exercise the God-given, mountain-moving powers that are ours to use. I have felt frustrated, as I shared recently, about just how much we are being tested in our faith right now. I know that by using my spiritual authority, I am clearly inviting the devil in to try his hand at snuffing me out. Not gonna happen anytime soon, I can assure you. Anyway, as I was driving back to the church to pick up the children from their Wednesday night services, I noticed how dark the sky was in the Northwest. A storm was brewing and droplets of rain were beginning to pelt my windshield. Suddenly, I noticed a rainbow. GORGEOUS! The wonderful thing was I could see it's beginning and it's end. The middle disappeared into the clouds though. It made me stop and think--now there is a promise that has been kept. God sent the rainbow to Noah as a promise that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. Even though there are still flooding issues in regions from time to time, the whole entire earth has never again been wiped clean by rising waters. Clearly, He is a God of His word and trustworthy.
I can sometimes see the beginning of His promises to me---promises about finances, success, health, prosperity, wisdom, and much more. Then there are times He shows me the end result, as in a dream or vision. The fun part is that He will always leave out the middle--it disappears into the clouds of life. That's the time when He wants me to hold out my hand, grab His, and let Him lead me. I encourage you to do the same. Do not fear the unkown--what is hidden in the clouds. Realize that when you are given a promise from the Father, He intends to keep his end of the deal. Will you let Him?
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made." Psalm 145:13 NIV