I promise. You've said that a thousand times. You've heard it said even more. People make promises all the time. In this political year, we've already heard so many promises it's enough to make your head spin. Well maybe not spin, but at least shake. Promises are easy to make but not always easy to keep. Each election year we hear candidates proclaim promises that we know they never intend to keep or will be able to pull off.
But politicians aren't the only ones who make promises that don't intend to keep. It seems like it's common practice in the business world. We promise or are promised a certain price or certain ship date that we know isn't going to happen. Jobs are promised to be finished by a specific time, but as the deadline approaches excuses for extensions are sure to come.
But the broken promises that are the most wounding have to do with relationships. People promise each other things all the time, but often don't come through. Since trust is a key factor in any relationship, when promises are not kept, the that relationship takes a hit. We're hurt, disappointed and sometimes left with feelings of abandonment. We struggle with that person who didn't come through for us.
Most of us don't think of ourselves as promise breakers. And usually we want to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. We can line up a myriad of excuses for why we were unable to fulfill our promise in an instant. We're quick to tab the label, "irresponsible," or even "liar" onto someone who breaks a promise to us. However, we rarely believe that about ourselves when we break our promises.
If we're all prone to making promises and then breaking our promises, whether intentional or not, who do you trust? At some point we are either going to let someone down or be let down. We're all imperfect. So trusting people can be hazardous.
In today's passage, Joshua is giving some final instructions to the Israelites before he goes on to be with the Lord. In these instructions, he exhorts Israel to remain faithful to God and His commandments. He also warns what will happen if they get careless with their covenant with Him and begin fraternizing with the pagan nations and their false gods. He urges them to keep their promise to God to remain faithful to Him.
Joshua points out that not one of God's promises to them had failed to come to fruition. Everyone had been fulfilled and would continue to be fulfilled as long as they kept their promise to serve God and Him only. That's what a covenant relationship is all about. When that covenant is broken, all bets are off. You break your marriage covenant to remain faithful to your spouse and your marriage is in big time trouble. The trust is gone and probably the relationship.
When we break our covenant with God to remain faithful only to Him and follow all His teachings and truths, we create a major rift in our relationship with Him. Many people want to live and do whatever they want to do and think that everything with God will be alright. They believe that they should receive all the blessings and benefits a committed follower of Christ are due. We broke the covenant with God, why should He keep His end of the bargain? He doesn't owe us anything. Why should God continue to bless our life if we're going ignore His truths and commands and teachings.
One thing for sure is that God will always keep His end of the deal. If He makes a promise, He'll fulfill it. But His promises are always conditional. The condition is based on us. We have a choice. If we break our promise to God, He's not obligated to keep His promise to us.
God, I'm so thankful for your grace. Thanks for all the second chances. Thanks for always keeping your promises. You're the only one any of us can truly trust. Help me keep my promise to you through your Holy Spirit.
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