Promises

My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.

(Psalm 89:34, NKJV)

It is common in our daily conversations to say words we do not mean or at times even understand.  This is particularly observed when one is challenged  in a conversation to explain the facts or details which seem unbelievable. If the individual feels insecure or unsure of how his message is being received, one would notice a tendency to show commitment to his ideas through swearing or making promises at the heat of the moment. Upon reflection when the dust has settled, the individual might find that he spoke too much or misspoke in a manner that he would not have done in a situation where he was not cornered.  It is in such instances that one could make a promise that he has not considered the full implications of, but all the same, a promise has been made. The short Irish proverb comes to mind, “a promise is a debt”.  These few words tell us of the power of a promise made, to the recipient there is an expectation which will only be met once the promise is fulfilled.  Our reference verse tells us of the character of God who confirms to us that when He has made a promise or covenant, He will never break it, He is faithful to fulfill what He has promised.  We know God as a promise keeper and through the bible, we see Him fulfilling His part even when the other party has failed to keep their side of the bargain.  We can hold God’s infallible word as true, for we know He will not fail or change what He has spoken.  Brethren, as I meditated on this understanding, I felt challenged about words I have spoken specially those which have given an expectation to others.

 One could make a promise to himself, to others or even to God in prayer.  This should not be out of a casual or careless speech but needs to come from an assessment of the situation.  Promises when given represent reaching a decision about a matter and will often call for a kind of exchange between the parties, this is where the concept of debt to each of the parties comes in.  The fulfillment of the debt or realization of the results expected, calls for a commitment to the promise and a discipline to follow through.  Beloved, it is in commitment and discipline that many well-meaning individuals fail.  The glue to a promise is trust, whether spoken or not, and the failure to fulfill the promise leads to broken trust, a dangerous and undesirable result.

Clearly, making promises is a serious matter which one should not enter into carelessly.  God in His word tells us not to take oaths, engage in unnecessary swearing or promises, but that our Yes should be Yes and our No should be No (Matthew 5:37).  The simplicity and clarity of “Yes” and “No” as communicated requires no further explanation.  The bible in the same verse tells us that anything more than ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ would lead us to evil.  We keep our word as stated without being ambiguous.  It is interesting that God has lifted His word above His name (Psalm 138:2).  Our Father is a promise keeper and He gives us His promises in His word, this should communicate to us the power that our words ought to carry, we need to be people who keep our words, be known and trusted by others as dependable and reliable on account of our words.  Beloved, we can therefore not be careless or casual with our words, if our Father honors His word we too must learn to honor the words that we speak.

 Thoughts:

 How deliberate are you with your words?

 Have you fulfilled the debt of the promises you have made?  If not, what will you do about it?

 How can you be honorable with your words?