When God Says...

Verse: "But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command." - 1 Samuel 13:14

Topic: How do I know God will keep his promises?

Personal Piece:  This week I'm going to be speaking on something really close to my heart as it is something I literally wrestle with everyday.  I'm sure many people have promises from God that they hold onto.  But when those promises come through dreams it can be easy for faith to waver.  Since I was a little girl God has spoken to me through "dreams and visions of the night.  When deep sleeps falls upon me and I slumber in my bed, he speaks (reveals things) in my ear and terrifies (stops) me with warnings" (Job 33:15-16).  I have seen things come to pass years after I have dreamt of them but that doesn't make the promises I am holding onto today require any less faith.  As his promises get bigger so does the faith required.

Thought of the Week: Over the last month I have been studying and meditating on the early years of David's life.  The events of 1 Samuel often come to my mind when I am beginning to doubt God's promises.  David didn't require anything from people, he didn't ask God to give him anything.  He wanted only to be in Yahweh's presence.  He was a lowly shepherd, a man overlooked by his own father when it came to doing something great.  But unlike his brothers, he didn't strive to make a name for himself.  He was content and fulfilled in his role as a shepherd and used his talent for song to minister to Yahweh himself.  But God had different plans.  When King Saul arrogantly disobeyed him, God turned his back on him and told his prophet that he had picked a new king who had a "heart after his own heart" (1 Sam 13:14).  When Samuel came and anointed David he set him apart as king but it would be many more years before God would fulfill that promise and make him king.

Throughout the Bible we can find literally hundreds of Yahweh's promises, some unfulfilled, some yet to be fulfilled.  But throughout all those promises there is one thing you will never find - a promise that didn't require faith.  God gave us a beautiful image of his promises in Genesis chapter 15.  It's an image that is often overlooked by many Christians because for one it is rather violent but also because we do not fully understand the ancient culture in which this promise was given.  In this moment God signed an unrevokable contract with Abraham.  As with any contract there were requirements of both sides but God put most of the pressure on his own head.  All Abraham had to do was have faith for as long as it was required of him.  That is all any of us are ever asked to do.

What blows me away the most about David before he became king is his attitude.  I don't know about you, but even if it wasn't my life goal to become king, if God told me that he had chosen me to be rich and famous for his glory, it would be really hard for me not to sit down and start making a life plan for how I'm gonna get to that place.  I can think of a couple things in my life that MIGHT get me noticed and make some good money.  David could have easily started planning.  Especially after he killed Goliath, people were flocking to him, ready to follow him anywhere.  When Saul tried to kill him, David could have retaliated.  He could have turned on Saul at any moment and taken the kingdom that God had promised.  It might have worked too, but it would have been without God's blessing.

When I was in middle school, I loved Greek and Roman Mythology.  The gods and goddesses were like angsty superheroes and their foolishness always gave me a chuckle.  While there were many stories, most of which I can't recall, there was one theme that always stuck out to me - self-fulfilling prophesies.  An example of this is the story of Oedipus who was born a prince.  When it was prophesied that Oedipus would one day kill his father, the king sent him to his death.  But he was found and raised by a commoner.  As a man, the prophecy was once again given to him but believing that it was his adopted father that would die, he left home.  When he later got into a fight with the king he unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy.  In the end the very act of trying to avoid the outcome was exactly what caused the outcome.

Why can't know what might have happened if Saul hadn't gone straight into panic mode.  I don't believe he could have saved his position as king but I do believe that he could have saved his reputation.  Saul was chosen because he was faithful to God, but no one knows King Saul for his faithfulness and devotion, they know him for trying to kill the greatest king of Israel.  His son Jonathon on the other hand had as much to lose if not more than his father.  He was the heir to the throne but he didn't even get the chance to rule because Yahweh replaced him before he even had a chance.  It makes me wonder how those two ever came to be 'friendship goals'.  We don't remember Jonathon as a king because that wasn't in God's plan for him, he died an unfortunately early death but he is always remembered for his bravery and his friendship with the man God had chosen in his place.

Believing in God's promises is never easy.  Our flesh longs for proof and not just one time, but over and over and over again.  In his patience, God will often give us the proof we desire but not always. Sometimes we must rely on nothing more than blind faith.  Others are sure to not understand, they're sure to put doubts in your head so that you wonder if you even heard God in the first place.  All week I have been turning over and over one such promise.  God told me in a dream to return to Chick-fil-A and one year later, I'm still in the same place I was then.  For 7 months I have been wrestling with God about why I am there.  He told me that old dreams would be fulfilled in this job, he assured me he would take care of me and that the things I have longed for I would find there.  But a year later I feel no closer to that goal than I did when we opened last March.  Some days I can see it just beyond my reach and other days, like yesterday, it seems like a pipe dream that I need to let go of.

Thankfully, God doesn't always make us rely on blind faith.  Last night someone I had never before met spoke into my life.  She told me that the promotion I was waiting for was coming, that I only had to keep holding onto it.  Having a stranger confirm what I know God has been telling me is beyond encouraging.  God is always good on his word.  He is love and truth and therefore nothing he says can be anything but.  Sometimes our own minds can get in the way.  We can sometimes put words in God's mouth that he didn't actually say.  Or like the mythological heroes we interpret his promises in our own way and miss his actual intent.  God never intended Christianity to be one-sided.  It has always been about a relationship, a giving and taking on both ends.  It is not completely reliant on our own failed perfection (thank goodness), nor is it reliant entirely on his faithfulness.  We have to have faith.  Whatever promise you are holding don't let go.  And take this last piece of wisdom from the life of young David: Focus on the heart of Yahweh and you will never be disappointed no matter what the outcome.

Digging Deeper:  For more on David's early years, his rivalry with Saul and his friendship with Jonathan check out the book of 1 Samuel, specifically chapters 13-31.

Other stories about long-term promises include: Joseph (One day his brothers would bow before him), Abraham (His ancestors would be as numerous as the stars), David (His kin would always remain on the throne), Isaiah (A savior would one day come from the line of David), Daniel (Kingdoms would rise and fall), Jesus (He will one day return), John (Heaven will one day come to Earth)

For the story of Oedipus click here.

This song (Above) has been playing in my head all week and I thought you might enjoy it.

Challenge:  What promises do you need to be reminded of today?  Bring them to God and renew your covenant with him.  Ask him to build your faith and then focus on his heart and what he wants in the situation.  More than likely your ideas are completely different.  Find scriptures that support what he is saying (that's the best way to separate your voice from his) and circle/underline the words in your bible.  Write them out and put them where you'll see them everyday.  Use his promises as a launching pad into an even deeper relationship with him.