Has someone ever promised you something? You waited and waited. You asked about it and the person assured you that it was coming. As a result, you continued to wait. Those close to you told you to stop waiting and move on. But you couldn’t give up. After some time, you receive the promise. The promise keeper came through.
The Story: Joshua 14
In Joshua 14, Joshua distributed the land to the tribes based on what Moses designed. During this time, Caleb recounted a conversation he had with Moses after the 12 tribes scouted out the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb were the only two who provided a good report while the other 10 placed fear in the minds of the people.
Because of Caleb’s wholehearted faith in God, Moses said that Caleb would receive the land where his feet walked as an inheritance. In addition, Caleb remarked how his body was in the same condition as it was 20 years ago. Therefore, he was capable of caring and protecting the land despite his advanced years. As a result, he asked Joshua for the land and promised to drive out any inhabitants with the help of God. Joshua blessed Caleb and gave him the land.
The Lesson
For Caleb, he had to wait 20 years for the promise. Unfortunately, the person who made the promise died. He didn’t know if Joshua would fulfill the promise. However, Caleb’s faith was in the Promise Keeper.
Caleb serves as an example to us. Yes, we make promises to people and vice versa. When people can’t fulfill the promise, we’re upset, frustrated, disappointed, and even angry. Some relationships end because people fail to keep a promise. Unfortunately, we forget that people aren’t perfect and circumstances don’t always move in one’s favor.
So what do we do? What options do we have?
- Discover the promise keepers. Knowing the integrity of people helps to determine if they will keep promises. When we know who people are, we can accept them as they are. Not all relationships are the same and that’s okay.
- Be a promise keeper. Be to others what we want them to be to us. We can’t expect people to keep their promises to us when we don’t keep our promises. If the situation changes, communicate so our integrity remains intact.
- Trust the true Promise Keeper. God never lies so His promises are yea and we agree with amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). If God said it, we can stand on it. Although His promises don’t always come when we want them, they will indeed arrive at the right time (Jeremiah 29:11; Habakkuk 2:3).
Now, that we have a promise keeper plan, keep in mind that people are human. Show grace if they falter. Although God’s promises are solid, they may take some time. They’re well worth the wait.
