Promises, Promises

So the LORD gave to Israel all the land He had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD helped them conquer all their enemies. Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything He had spoken came true. (Joshua 21:43-45 NLT)

Have you ever dealt with someone making a promise and then they didn't keep it?  How about with God?  Do you ever feel like God makes promises and then doesn't keep them?  I've struggled with this at times.

Now that I'm a little older, though, I'm starting to see things with a little more perspective.  When I was a baby, keeping a promise meant someone responding to me immediately when I cried.  When I was four years old, "forever" meant waiting an hour or two.  As a teenager, I hated waiting for a day or a week for something I wanted.  And in my twenties, I found it unbearable to think about waiting yet another year to get married to the woman of my dreams.

Now that I'm in my forties, I have an easier time seeing life changes over time, "seasons" of life, and how some things simply take time.

Scripture teaches us the same thing.  The Israelites have finally moved into the land God promised them long ago.  God made good on His promises to them.  But look how long it took: a lifetime - Joshua's lifetime.  

Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land West of the Jordan.  He led the armies, fought the battles, and settled in peace when it was all over.  Joshua also lived through the 40 years in the wilderness, ate manna off the desert floor, quail given by God, and drank water from a rock.  Joshua also lived in slavery in Egypt.  He watched as God brought ten plagues through Moses, parted the Red Sea, and walked through it on dry land.  

Joshua experienced it all.  And he wasn't the only one.  This generation of adults were comprised of the children and teenagers who left slavery in Egypt not all that long ago.  And now, they see the fulfillment of God's promises.

Do you trust that God is good for His promises?  Do you look at it like a baby, a four year old, a teenager, a young adult, or an older adult?  Do you look forward to God's answer with eager anticipation?  I do. God is always good for His promises.