“Someday I will buy you a horse. It will be a beautiful horse and you will love it and care for it. I will watch you ride the horse and admire both of your beauty.” The sound of those words thunder through the years. Hollow words, promises unfulfilled, words lost over time. But she never forgot them. So upon each appointed celebration, she gazed out the window to the empty field, seemingly more void than the day before. In that field, were the shadows of those promises – promises now permanently relegated to a time where they will never materialize.
We are all victims of promises that never reached fruition. And, we are all guilty of extending promises to others that we did not fulfill – from the casual “I’ll call you tomorrow.” to the serious “I’ll pray for you.” to the intentional “Someday…” But there is One whose promises never fail, whose words never bend or twist, whose commitments remain the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Read Psalms 16:1-11
- Underline, highlight or write down every promise from the Lord in this Psalm. Example: v.1 He preserves (hedges about or guards) me
- Write two empty commitments that you have made to others. How can you avoid making promises you can’t or won’t keep?
- Write two empty commitments made to you. Have you forgiven the person who made those promises? Have you ever made those same commitments to someone else? Do you owe someone an apology?
Lord, all of Your promises are yes and amen for me and for those who know and love You. You promise to guard me, to delight in me, to maintain my lot, to set me in a pleasant place, to rescue me from death, to show me the way of life, to fill me with joy and pleasure, and to advise and counsel me. You obviously love me or You would not promise me these things. I declare You are my Lord and my God. You are the only good and righteous thing about me, and that is more than enough! I have no other gods before You. You are my portion and my cup, which you fill to overflowing. I have the best inheritance in You. You are always in front of me – my eyes are always on You. I will not be moved. Because of You, I rejoice, I am glad and I rest in You. Lord, I pray and believe (increase my faith and help my unbelief) that all of your promises would manifest in my life. I banish sickness and disease from the lot You have given me – that sickness You take no delight in so it cannot stay. All evil in me must go – there is no pleasure for You in me when evil is present – it cannot stay. My inheritance is You, my portion and my cup – no ungodly thing can stay in my life – those things are not from You. They are no longer welcome in my life – all things not from You must flee from Your light in my life. Praise be to Your Holy Name! Thank you Lord that I can rest knowing that your promises are the same for me yesterday, today and tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, Amen!