Our Promise-Keeping Father
Saturday night I made it to church in time to kneel and pray for a few minutes before the service began. I remembered an old Dottie Rambo song as I prayed:
“I didn’t come here to ask You for anything.
I just came to talk with you Lord.
You’ve answered a million prayers or more,
That I forgot to thank You for,
I just came to talk with You Lord.”
I was determined to not ask God for anything. Only to thank Him and praise Him for His goodness and mercy; to honor and adore Him in this small window of time. But no sooner than a heartbeat, I broke into “Lord, please be with…….; Lord, please show me what I should do about……!” Yikes. I already went rogue.
Was I just buttering God up with those praises; complimenting Him to get something in return? That’s what we did as kids. “Mom, you look great! Wow! Mom! That was the best meal EVER! Mom, thank you for all you do for me!” Then comes the big ASK “Mom, can I use the car tonight?”
Uh! That MIGHT have been the way I “sweet talked” my mom. I reined myself back in and solemnly returned to my adoration of my Creator, my Conqueror and King. Then it was like a sweet gentle breeze blowing my way when I envisioned a child going to their dad, getting into his lap with heartfelt love for the one who loved and cared for him.
I’ve come to realize it’s a two-way street. When I’ve had my morning devotions and put God first in my thanksgiving and my asks, I sense relationship. He doesn’t judge me when I put the cart before the horse aka when I ask Him for something before I express appreciation for what He’s already done for me.
God IS Love. And His love is far beyond judging us. His love is about us surrendering to His love and acting out that love in kind to Him and others. King David was good at buttering God up. In 1 Samuel 7:22 David says: ““How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” Aw! There’s the “sweet talk”!
Then in verse 25 David starts reminding God of His promises. “And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise You have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that Your name will be great forever.”
And we can remind God of His promises, too! Our Father left a legacy of promises in His Word. He promises to go with us wherever we go. He promises to never fail us. He promises us a future and a hope. He promises us life everlasting. So, like David, we also declare: “Here I am, Lord, claiming your promises. I know You will provide.”
It’s a different approach than “Please, please, please!” When we reinforce what we know about God, it doesn’t tell Him something He doesn’t know, but it declares our trust in His promises. “Father, You said in Your Word that You would give me abundant life. (John 10:10). My life feels a little less than abundant right now. I am claiming your promises, trusting Your Word is true.”
If Mom promises that I can use the car if I help with home chores and get my homework done, then I simply remind her: “Mom, I finished everything. You promised that I can use the car tonight!”
It is a different posture of prayer. And, when we are faithful in our promises, then our prayers are hope-filled because our Father is faithful and loves us so much and would never lie to us. We know in His perfect timing He will work things out for our good! Promise Giver. Promise Keeper. That’s God and that’s me and you!