Promises Then, Promises Now

As I've aged, I've noticed that many of my conversations with friends and family center more on memories, than current events. This may be for more than one reason since, lets face it, many of the things currently happening in our world seem too bizarre for words. I guess I'd rather think back to my "good ol' days", even a mere five years ago. It's fun thinking about events that, at the time, may or may not have been funny, but have grown more hilarious with each passing year. Good examples of that are any and all trips where we took our family camping. The miseries we experienced then make for belly laughs now.

We all grow from the experiences that lay behind us -- especially the painful ones, and it's great when we can praise God for what He's brought us through (even if we didn't see any of it as good, at the time). Maybe He provided for us, or saved us from ourselves while we weren't looking, but we only see it now, OR maybe we don't see anything good, and won't ... until we reach heaven.

I've been spending some time in the Old Testament and it struck me again how the Israelites, who had been FREED FROM SLAVERY, kept looking back. As soon as they were uncomfortable with something, they'd turn on Moses and tell him how good they'd had it in Egypt.

Of course, we know that God eventually kept most of them from seeing the Promised Land because of their belligerent disobedience, but when they were walking close to Him, His promises of blessing happened in amazing ways. So ... why were they constantly looking behind them? And ... why do we?

I don't know about you, but I've always listened to Him. HA HA HA HA! If you were falling asleep, I bet you're awake now. That sounded pretty self-righteous, but it was a total lie. Of course I haven't always listened to God. In fact, I don't do what He tells me to do, or not to do, much too often. Then I wonder how I can be so dense since I can see how He's orchestrated things perfectly when I've listened!

If we are His children, and we want to follow His leading, there are so many promises that God wants to keep. Here are a few:

He'll FIGHT for us! Deuteronomy 1:30a (NIV) "The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you..."" Just as He promised that to His people in the Old Testament, He's promised that to us too.

He's WITH US wherever we go! Joshua 1:9b (NIV) "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." He told Joshua that, and that's also for us.

Hebrews 13:5b (NIV) "... God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." "

He is our STRENGTH! Philippians 4:13 (NIV) "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." I absolutely LOVE this verse!

He wants to give us GOOD THINGS! Psalm 37:4 (NIV) "Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

He gives us PEACE! John 16:33 (NIV) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. Psalm 34:4 (NIV) "I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears."

I can say, from experience, how He's kept those promises to me, and how He continues to do so.

May we forge ahead, obeying Him as He leads us, with confidence in the one true God who sent His Son, Jesus, to carry our burdens and help us through this often tough journey called life.

Blessings on you today, as you find through HIM, your best life!

Love,

Pattie