One of the hymns we used to sing in my childhood church was “Standing on the Promises of God,” written by the late composer Russell Kelso Carter. Carter was an ordained minister who later became a medical doctor. He faced a personal crisis in his early years that caused him to search the Bible for a healing promise from God. He suffered from a heart condition and said that once he began to hold steadfast to the written word of God, his strength returned and his heart was completely healed over the course of several months.
Promises are made to be kept. Whether or not we believe a promise depends largely upon the character and track record of the person making it. God has demonstrated his love and shown us his character through the person of Jesus. That hymn from my childhood always made sense to me because I knew, believed and trusted in the one who made the promises.
God is trustworthy and stands behind every promise that he makes. Many people are in despair over their inability to find a meaningful job. Others feel alone on college campuses, where it is not always easy to make friends. In fact, a mother of a college student shared with me how her daughter is struggling to find friends to eat with at dinner. This can feel very lonely, yet she is not alone because God is present.
I live with hope each day. Knowing that God will never leave or forsake me brings great comfort to my heart and my life. I have learned that whenever I experience something inconsistent with what I know to be true, I can turn to a promise from God and keep it in my heart. God is present to help and strengthen us through life’s uncertain paths. I stand on God’s promise to be with me through good times and hard times, and you can too. Prayer helps us experience God’s promises. Prayer gives us reassurance that God wants to fulfill his promise to us. It is a wonderful feeling to know that the creator of the universe wants to be near me at all times.
Sometimes it takes a while for a promise from God to sink into our heart and mind. Therefore, my prayer point for you is to read and meditate upon the promise that Jesus made to us in Hebrews 13:5b: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Don’t let go of this promise no matter how dim your circumstances appear. Join us October 2 for a day of prayer dedicated to helping you experience God’s presence. We invite you to pray and ask God to be near today, tomorrow and forever. Amen! God bless you.
