Can We Trust Promises When So Many Are Broken?

How good are you at keeping promises? Some people embrace the motto, ‘My word is my bond.’ We know if they make a promise, they’ll keep it no matter what. Others take a more tentative approach, promising to do something with fingers figuratively crossed behind their backs, thinking, ‘I’ll do it – unless a better option comes along.’

 

For some of us, the thought of promise-making and promise-keeping brings back sad or distressing memories of promises that were made to us and then broken: Wedding vows cast aside. An expected job promotion that never came. A close friend reneging on an important commitment. A parent’s failure to show up for an important school program or ball game.

 

Politicians make promises all the time that they conveniently forget once election day has passed, but we’re used to that. It’s loved ones and people close to us making promises, then not following through, that hurts the most.

 

Do you remember the old hit tune by Dionne Warwick, “Promises, Promises”? Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it had a lilting melody but offered a rather cynical view of promises. Here are some of the lyrics:

“Promises, promises

I’m all through with promises…

Oh, promises, promises

This is where those promises end…

Oh, promises, their kind of promises, can just destroy a life…

Take all the joy from life….”

 

Since song lyrics often are drawn from personal experience, I wonder what prompted Bacharach and David to put those words to music? No matter, they do express the feelings many of us have – or have once held – regarding promises. When promises are broken, trust also becomes shattered. And one’s integrity suffers a serious blow.

 

This is why the promises we find in the Bible are so important. And there are many of them, from Genesis all the way through Revelation. When we hear God being described in terms like loving, gracious, merciful, unchanging and faithful, the promises in the Scriptures put those divine qualities to the test.

 

If someone were to ask, “What are the promises of God?” we could respond, “Where do we start?” Take for example the Old Testament prophetic book of Isaiah. Singling out just three out of many, we find:

God’s promise of forgiveness and redemption: “’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18).

God’s promise of strength when needed: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).

God’s promise of His presence and power. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

 

Of course, our trust in someone’s promises grows over time, as they follow through on their commitments and prove their trustworthiness. In the same way, our trust in God’s promises flourishes through our daily experiences with Him. It can’t be learned by reading books, devotionals or columns, or by listening to sermons. 

 

In my case, as I’ve encountered and pondered the Lord’s promises in reading His Word, I’ve also seen His faithfulness in fulfilling them one after another. I could offer many examples, but one stands out in particular.

 

It was in 2006, right after I had been diagnosed as having an aortic aneurysm, along with several arterial blockages. Open-heart surgery was necessary. Since my condition wasn’t an emergency, the procedure was scheduled for two weeks later. That’s a lot of time to ponder undergoing one of the most serious surgeries you can have.

 

After the initial shock of what I had to face began to fade, I did what I’ve learned to do in times of crisis: I opened my Bible and turned to the Psalms, which I’ve always found comforting and reassuring. I read several psalms the first day, put a bookmark where I had been reading, and set the Bible aside.

 

The next morning, still feeling overwhelmed at the thought of going through surgery that would last at least several hours, I again picked up my Bible and turned to where I had stopped the previous day. It was Psalm 41, and the third verse read, “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” 

 

I can’t describe the emotions that filled me at that moment, but it was if the words had been printed in neon lights. Like God saying, “This promise is for you.” 

 

Philippians 4:7 talks about “the peace that surpasses all understanding,” and that’s what I experienced that day. The anxiety I had been feeling disappeared. It was one of many “Don’t worry, I’ve got this” moments I’ve had in my walk with the Lord.

 

Knowing God has never failed in keeping the many promises He’s made, that sense of peace prevailed up to and through the day of my surgery. The recovery wasn’t easy, but God was with me every day, true to His word.

 

I’m not a ‘name it and claim it’ guy. I know God doesn’t promise physical healing to everyone in every situation. When we encounter adversity in any of its countless forms, we don’t have a promise from God that the outcome will be exactly what we want. But we do have the promise from Him that, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

 

In a world where broken promises are more the rule than the exception, what a joy and privilege it is to worship a God who never fails to keep His promises.

Wishin’ and Hopin’ and Thinkin’ and Prayin’

Do you remember the song, “Wishin’ and ‘Hopin’”? Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, it was first recorded by Dionne Warwick, and then turned into a Top 10 hit by Dusty Springfield in 1964. Even if you don’t recall it, I think we’ve all been doing lots of wishing and hoping in recent days.

During an early press update on the COVID-19 virus, a reporter challenged President Trump for his seemingly overly positive assessments, accusing him of offering “false hope.” The President responded by stating that while he did not want to be unrealistic, he understood most Americans were looking for hope in a very troubling time.

Like him or not, the President was right: We all look for hope, especially when days seem dark and dismal. And we have lots to be wishing and hoping about, even beyond the end of this pandemic. We all want health, for ourselves as well as our friends and loved ones. Many people have lost jobs, at least temporarily, and they’re hoping to return to gainful employment once things return to normal – whatever that might look like. The people who employ them also are eager to resume usual activities, hoping that will be sooner than later.

There are other important, although slightly less critical hopes and wishes. Students have been hoping for their schools to reopen, so sports could resume, proms could be conducted, and graduations might be held. For parents thrust into home schooling roles, they’re also looking forward to the day when they can shout, “Get up, Tommy (or Tonya). Time for school!” More than one mom or dad has muttered – perhaps very loudly, “If I had wanted to be a teacher, I would have studied to become one!” 

Then there are the more mundane matters, such as the hopes that despite everything, there will be pro and college football seasons in the fall. Without the thud of foot against ball, crunch of pads, or ecstatic cheers after a touchdown, can there really be a fall? Others are hoping for the day they can again go shopping, or go to see a movie, or dine at a restaurant.

But we’re not really sure about any of the above, are we? Our wishes are just wishes. Our hopes amount to little more than hope-so’s. As optimistic as we’d like to be, we can’t be sure until it happens. This is where everyday hope distances itself from the hope about which the Bible speaks with such certainty.

Biblical hope pertains to ironclad promises and assurances from God. Or as I like to define hope: “earnest expectation” or “confident assurance.” 

Romans 8:24 powerfully expresses it this way: “For in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Regardless of circumstances we encounter from one day to the next, as followers of Jesus Christ we have an unshakable hope anchored in our relationship with Him.

The progression of the virus has preoccupied our minds, but the Scriptures give us many examples of believers whose hope in the Lord enabled them to endure great adversity. Writing from a prison, with no likelihood of release, the apostle Paul could say, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ sill be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21).

Ultimately, biblical hope rests not in the fickle, unpredictable nature of temporal life, but in the earnest expectation of a glorious life to come that we can hardly imagine. “A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” (Titus 1:2).

Perhaps, more than anything else, what the Lord wants us to gain from our current challenges is a certainty that no matter what happens, however long things persist, our future in Him is secure: “so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7).

Do we have that certainty? Do we know, that we know, that we know we have it? Good questions to answer, especially in times like these. While we’re wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’, do we have the hope that transcends whatever we have to face?

Finding Real Hope in a ‘Hope-So’ World

I’ve always enjoyed music, although I only sing so-low (that people can’t hear me), and the only instruments I’ve ever played were the drums, in high school and college. (I still play the steering wheel if  something with a good beat comes on while I’m driving, but Idon’t think that counts.)

Anyway, words of familiar songs often come to mind, even simple ones that carry a good message. One that’s been running through my mind of late is “High Hopes,” a tune from the 1959 film, “A Hole in the Head,” that starred Frank Sinatra. It tells about a “little old ant” trying to move a rubber tree plant and a “silly old ram” trying to punch a hole in a dam. Despite daunting tasks, the song says, they had “high hopes.”

Some people suggest another song, “What the World Needs Now is Love,” the tune by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, but given the chaotic, confused times in which we live, I wonder if what we need even more is “High Hopes.”

A couple of weeks into the new year, we’re still covered with the barrage of negativity. If not for bad news, it seems, there’d be no news at all. I hear dozens of folks in a New England town have already collapsed into a heap of hopeless despair. Things are so bad, in the next rendition of Disney’s “Snow White,” the seven dwarfs will probably sing, “I hope, I hope….”

Unfortunately, high hopes don’t usually supply real reasons for being hopeful. Hope in this life is as reliable as tomorrow’s weather report. The best it can provide is “hope-so”: “Will the United States ever truly be ‘united’ again? Hope so.” “Can life become less stressful? Hope so.” “Are there any real prospects for peace in this world? Hope so.” “Can anyone actually find true love on ‘The Bachelor’? Hope so.”

This desire for hope is often more pragmatic than philosophical. Imagine living in poverty, whether in the inner city or a place like Appalachia, with no prospects of change. How about feeling trapped in a loveless marriage, convinced the old spark will never rekindle. Or lying in a bed, ravaged by a terminal disease, anticipating a future that might not extend beyond tomorrow morning. In such circumstances, even a tiny ray of hope could provide palpable reason to persevere.

But where can we find hope? They don’t stock it on department store shelves or at mall kiosks. Amazon sells lots of things, but not hope. History’s demonstrated we can’t find lasting hope in politics, regardless of our ideology. Science helps us understand “what” and “how,” but has little to say about “why.” Materialism’s many promises tend to be short-lived and empty. Entertainment distracts us momentarily, but can’t release us from uncomfortable realities. Even religion, with its rites, rules and rituals, too often leaves us feeling perplexed and uninspired.

Does this mean there’s no hope for finding real hope?

There is one source, and it’s been available for thousands of years, although many people have chosen to ignore it. To paraphrase yet another song of days gone by, they’re looking for hope in all the wrong places.

Whenever I feel deficient in hope, I turn to the Bible. It shows God fully understands the human need for hope. Proverbs 13:12 observes, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Feelings of hopelessness can debilitate us physically, emotionally and spiritually, but hopes fulfilled reinvigorate. Proverbs 13:19 notes, “A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul….”

To satisfy our yearning for hope, the Scriptures point us to a daily, growing relationship with God. The Old Testament’s book of Lamentations assures, "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord" (Lamentations 3:25). This isn’t “hope-so”; it’s unwavering certainty.

Another meaningful verse was penned by the apostle Paul, addressing followers of Jesus Christ in Rome: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Drawing from his own experience, he told the growing throng of believers in that sprawling city that true hope anchors in everyday faith in the Lord.

Faith – and hope – must be tried and proven. When we place our trust in something, even Jesus, time and perspective reveal whether we were banking on “hope so,” or genuine hope we can cling to with confident assurance.

The ultimate test is the day when life inevitably draws to a close and we must confront the reality of what comes next. Paul referred to this when he wrote to believers in the church of ancient Philippi, “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

I “hope” that as we continue our march into this new year, you won’t be settling for hope-so when you can experience the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) of Jesus Christ alone.