The Promise Keeper

I did not share my testimony concerning my job loss by accident – there is not a day that goes by that I don’t hear of someone who has lost their job. There is real suffering that occurs in both the lives of an indvidual and a family when being let go of your expected provision.

But, God…

We are programmed in this society to go to work, work hard, and expect that the work will pay off with the good life. We choose to believe that we will get the car we want, the house, the clothes, the vacation, etc. – And truth be told, hard work does pay off. As an educator I sincerely believe that those that receive more education will have more options in the workplace. I have found it out to be true that in most instances the level of education you receive does in large measure dictate the level of income you will attain (there are always exceptions – entrepreneurs, inventors, even those who knowt the secret that little is much, when God is in iit).

What I have also found is that all the education in the world, and all the best training, and all the faithfulness to your job does not ensure that everything in your life will always go as planned. In fact, it seems just as you begin to relax and think you’ve discovered the answer – something comes from nowhere – and all your plans fall apart.

Let me say this however. God is never caught by suprise – He is the God who knows the end from the beginning! He even knows “our thoughts afar off.” God knows how we are going to react – the test and the trial is not for God’s sake – it’s for ours. We need to know who we are and who we need to be. The marvelous thing about this journey is that God loves us so much that He has already laid out certain promises that we can hold onto. I don’t know why it is when we are really having a tough time that and we’re searching through the Bible that we can’t find scriptures like this:

“I am the LORD,” he says, “and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner so no one can understand what I mean. And I did not tell the people of Israel* to ask me for something I did not plan to give. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and right.Isaiah 45:19

or how about this:

I will give you the treasures of darkness,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3 (NIV)

God knows our name, He know our circumstances, He knew that we would need assurance when things get tough and it’s there – it’s everywhere – in His Word! Do a word search on God’s promises, write them down, post them on your wall, pray them – believe them. He is a faithful God, He is a loving God – and best of all HE IS GOD! He alone knows where those riches are stored in secret places – all those that bear our name! Be encouraged and be strengthened this day in Jesus name!

God Bless You,
Maria