BY MATT ALBRITTON
OPINION —
How many times have you joined others in singing the great hymn, “Standing on the Promises?” How many times have you been comforted by its words? My favorite verse is verse two.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God.
This verse always reminds me of the storms of life. Here’s the thing about storms: You have just gone through one, you are in one now or one is on the way. But here’s the good news — Storms don’t last always.
Psalm 29 reminds us that, “the LORD blesses his people with peace,” even when the storms of doubt and fear try to overpower us. When the storm clouds begin to gather, we turn to the Spirit’s sword. It is in God’s Word where we find and claim the promises of God. One day Jesus and his disciples were in a boat on the sea of Galilee. As they crossed the sea, a storm arose. The disciples began to fear for their lives as the storm raged all around them. They looked to Jesus and He was asleep in the back of the boat. The disciples went and woke Jesus, saying, “Master, we’re going to drown.” Jesus got up and calmed the storm. Then he asked his disciples, “Where is your faith” (Luke 8:25). If you want your faith to be stronger then you have to exercise your faith.
Joshua reminds us in the 23rd chapter of something we sometimes forget: “Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the LORD your God has come true. Not a single one has failed! But as surely as the LORD your God has given the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him. He will completely wipe you out from this good land he has given you. If you break the covenant of the LORD your God by worshipping and serving other gods, his anger will burn against you, and you will quickly be wiped out from the good land he has given you.”
God’s promises are for his children. His desire is to bless you richly every day of your life. He wants to pour out so many blessings into your life, that you will not have room enough to store them. That’s a promise. If you do not violate the covenant of the Lord your God. It’s the word “if” that we sometimes forget. If you worship him only. If you serve him only. If you obey only his commands. If you bow down only to him. We remove ourselves from the flow of God’s blessings because we forget that his promises and blessings are conditional. They are based on our obedience.
Have you ever seen Niagara Falls? They look beautiful and peaceful from a distance. Even from the top of the falls, the water seems quiet and peaceful. But when you stand at the bottom on the Hurricane Deck, you can feel and hear the awesome power and fury of the falls. So, it is with our God. When we are faithful and obedient to him only, he flows like a peaceful, calm river through our lives, but disobedience and rebellion can put us at the base of the falls.
We tend to down play the wrath and destructive power of God in our modern world. However, God is just as serious about our worship and reverence now, as he was in Joshua’s day. God is righteous; and he demands righteousness in his children. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
Be thankful and enjoy the promises of God, as you worship him with reverence and awe.
