Promises, Promises
We’ve been inundated lately with promises from political candidates who make every claim possible to get into the desired office. When the election finally arrives, we have heard more promises than can possibly be kept. What is so incredible is that many of the promises by any given contender is often countered by conflicting promises previously made by the same man or woman seeking the position. This is quite inconsistent.
Every member of mankind makes many promises in the course of his or her life. We do so relative to personal relationships, jobs, and many other areas. When such promises are made, it is hopeful that “good intentions” are behind the promises. Some of these are kept, or honored, and others are not. To not keep the commitments, or promises we make, makes us inconsistent as well.
There is one who is neither inconsistent, nor fails to keep a promise. This is because as Isaiah 55:8-9 informs us, God does not think nor act as does man. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.Then we read in Isaiah 55:11 that God made promise about how effective His Word is. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Then from the New Testament, in 2Peter 3:9 we see how serious God is about the promise He made and the plan He set in order from before the beginning of time for the benefit of man. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God is faithful, consistent, loving, and desirous that all souls would seek Him and be saved.
But what about our part in this? Are we not expected to be consistent in our efforts to receive what God offers mankind? Back in the early 1980’s O.D. Wilson, my wife’s father, re-wrote the words of “Make Me A Channel of Blessing” to address our promises, which he entitled “To Be Consistent”. There was nothing wrong with the “original” song, but these “additional” words might help us to “examine ourselves” as we continue our Christian walk. Perhaps when he wrote this, he was pondering the “commitment” all make to God when they obey the gospel. Unfortunately, some Christians fail to live up to their commitment because of inconsistency. Below are the words he wrote to that tune. It asks some interesting questions.
To Be Consistent
1) Is it true that you are a Christian,
or a person who just wears the name?
Are you really committed to Jesus;
not acting or playing a game?
2) Do you go to worship each Lord’s day,
are you just a “one timer” each week?
Do you eat the Lord’s Supper the right way?
Always the Lord’s Will do you keep?
3) Do your neighbors know you are a Christian,
by the things that you do and say?
Have you tried to win them all for Jesus?
Don’t wait, there’s no time like to day.
Chorus
To be consistent is so hard to do.
I want to serve Lord and always be true.
Say what I do Lord, Do what I say Lord,
be an example each step of the way.
What kind of promises do we make when we talk to God? When we bow our heads in prayer and ask for specific blessings, do we consider that we committed to be consistent in our service to God? Do we contemplate where we might spend eternity because of inconsistency? Think about it.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
