A Promise is a Promise
Yesterday Ray ran into our friends Bobby and Phyllis. They told him about an incident that happened recently when their Aunt Ina was recovering at a rehab facility. Their Aunt Ina mentioned “an older woman down the hall.”
“And how old are you, Aunt Ina?” Phyllis asked.
She is 99 (100 come this November). Ray and I got to see Miss Ina recently. There she was recovering from a broken pelvis, sitting up, dressed, and looking very much like she did when we met her 26 years ago in August of 1993 when she was an amazing-looking 72.
In her gentle, slow, Southern drawl, she said that “they” didn’t want her to get up because she might fall. She said that she wanted to get up very much but she wouldn’t do that for anything because she had promised she wouldn’t.
I listened intently, as always, because I don’t want to miss a syllable of Miss Ina’s wisdom. I could have already told you that her picture should be in the Bible dictionary beside “pure in heart.” Now I know it should be beside integrity, too.
To Miss Ina, a promise is a promise. She would never break her word. She’s like her heavenly Father in that. He never breaks His promises either. You can count on it.
This is the promise which He Himself made to us:
eternal life.
1 John 2:25
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;
for once he has been approved,
he will receive the crown of life
which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12
Sometimes we think He is slow about keeping His promises, but He knows the full picture and we don’t.
The Lord is not slow about His promise,
as some count slowness,
but is patient toward you,
not wishing for any to perish
but for all to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
Psalm 145:9
One day Jesus taught His disciples a parable about a woman who was seeking justice from a judge. Luke tells us that the reason He told the parable was “to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart . . . .” Let’s be women who don’t lose heart.
For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:5