I Promise

When our nine-year-old daughter attended camp for the first time, she worried about everything from making friends to what food they would serve. Especially ham. Because ham was one of the few foods Esther hated, she had a premonition they’d serve it.
“Don’t worry, Honey,” I reassured her, “most Christian camps cannot afford to buy expensive meats. I promise you, they will not serve ham.”
While helping Esther unpack her suitcase the following weekend, I asked Esther how she liked the food.
“Well, it was okay, except the first night, Mom.”
“Oh, what happened then?”
“They served us ham!”
I was horrified to realize I had broken Esther’s trust. Because I had promised her something I could not control, my promise was worthless. Although she readily forgave me, that was the last time I said “I promise” to her, over twenty years ago.
God does not have to worry about keeping His promises to us. He is eternal, so He can control the outcome of His word. When He says, “I promise,” He will come through every time.
Hebrews 10: 23 encourages us to “hold fast the confession of our faith, for He who promised is faithful.” (NASB) The Greek word ‘faithful’ in this verse means ‘steady.’ Solid. Dependable. Stable. We can count on God, even when others around us break their word, or make promises they cannot keep.
He is our faithful God, the only One who will never disappoint us.