Living on the other side of the promise

The Oxford dictionary defines promise as: 1 an assurance that one will do something or that something will happen. 2 potential excellence.

Have you been in a situation when someone makes a big promise to you, have you experienced the turmoil of emotions that ensues - the waiting, the anticipations, the badgering, the disturbance, the helplessness that comes in the waiting for the promise to be fulfilled. For some it may take a while for the person to make good on the promise, that’s if they come through that is.

I remember when I was younger than I am now, an award was literally handed over to me on a platter, but I hadn’t really been given it yet, because there were some formality, a process, a series of events that needed to take place prior to it “being officially” given to me. I remember giving a testimony in church, praising and glorifying God, and receiving and claiming it. After all it was mine; it’s just a matter of the bureaucratic process that needed to take place. When the time came for the process to commence, I was told that even though it’s practically mine, I still had to submit an application, a grant proposal, and will have to get it reviewed by the reviewer board and advisory board, and then after it all, only a couple of people “may” be awarded. I asked the organiser to explain to me again, what she meant. She told me, that all the Universities in the UK were participating, and nine have been chosen to submit an application, and only three may be awarded in the end. At which I replied, “I thought this award was practically stamped and delivered to me”. She told me, in principle yes, but it could go either way. I guess that week was probably the worst week of my entire life, and I wondered how I could go back and tell the people that “technically” the testimony wasn’t really complete, and that the award wasn’t really mine yet. You see I had declined all offers, because this award was the mother of all, it gave me access to ANY university in the world to work with, and the world was my playing field - or so I thought!

In reality many of us are in one way or the other waiting on a promise to be fulfilled. A promise made by a fellow man may not come good, but a Promise made by God, is FOR SURE to come to pass. Many of us claim the promises of Abraham to be theirs, yet they forget that Abraham had to go through a process to become the Father of a Great Nation. Even though Abraham was significantly wealthy, could you imagine having to wait for 25 years for God’s promise concerning a Son to come to pass (Gen. 12:2-3; 13:14-16; 17:17; 18:10). That doesn’t even include the waiting before the promise was given. I know, there’s no way I could wait that Long, but He did, and God called him His friend.

……………….. Many of us would have resided to say “ hmm, yeah God promised, but you know maybe we should try and help ourselves (which they did with Hagar), or like the Shunammite woman who didn’t want the prophet Elisha to make her any promises, no point getting her hopes up you know (2 Kings 4:16). Yes we know God is able, but erm, there are levels, maybe He didn’t mean it physically, maybe spiritually ehen the promise will come to pass………lol………………

Hannah was another tormented by her inability to give her husband children, but she had no idea that the Son the Lord was preparing for her was to be the very first prophet that Israel would ever have (1 Sam. 1:6; 3:20). Waiting for the promise of God to be fulfilled is never going to be an easy process. What is it that you are waiting on God for? What promise has the Lord been repeating to you that He will do for you? What is it that Lord been reminding you that is an easy task for Him to do? His word’s reassures us that no matter how long it takes we should wait (Hab. 2:3).

I was so favoured with regards to my award, I only had to wait Six months (without a Job), and even though many proposals were declined, and in reality only three universities out of the whole in the UK was chosen, the reviewers accepted my grant proposal and awarded me the money. It could have gone either way, but because of the Favour of the Lord that was upon me, He brought this promise to pass. God does not show favouritism (Acts 10:34-35), when you see Him coming through on His promises for others, you better rest assured that the promises He made to you will surely come to pass. God is more than able to do exceeding and above that which He says He will do, He is good for it. I have known Him to be faithful and true. The promise may be taking a little while to come on over, but that doesn’t mean its not coming at all.

As for me I have crossed over and have started to live life the way the Lord purposed me to live. The waiting process will never be a pity party occurrence, or a time to dabble in doubt and unbelief. I believe God and that settles it. I choose to live life expectant, knowing fully well that He has done what He says He will do. It’s just a matter of filling the paper work, and presto I’m “outer” here.